Roland Butcher – Breaking Barriers: Barbados to England…and Back

The University of Bedfordshire is delighted to welcome former England cricketer, Roland Butcher, for a special event to mark Black History Month.

‘Breaking Barriers: Barbados to England… and Back’ will explore Roland’s rise to become the first Black cricketer to represent the England national team, and reflect on the challenges and successes he has encountered throughout his career.

This event will be sponsored by the University’s Race Equality Network (REN).

Sign up today by registering on this page.

Event details:

· When? Tuesday 21 October 2025

· Where? Ground floor of the Postgraduate Centre, Luton Campus

What will the event be about?

Roland Butcher will share his personal and professional journey from growing up in Barbados to breaking barriers on the international cricket stage in England. In this inspirational talk, he will reflect on the challenges of migration, identity, resilience, and achievement in the face of adversity.

Attendees will hear about his cricketing career, the pressures of representation, the cultural challenges of moving between two worlds, and how he has continued to give back to the game and to the Caribbean community. The talk is set to highlight themes of perseverance, opportunity, and the power of sport as a vehicle for social change.

The event will also feature a Virtual Reality demo led by Dr Lionel Jayaraj, Lecturer in Games (Visual Effects and Animation) at the University of Bedfordshire. Dr Jayaraj will showcase his VR project, which aims to bring Roland’s story to life using AI characterisation and provide a VR cricket coaching experience.

Following the event, Roland will be signing copies of his new autobiography, Breaking Barriers: Barbados to England and Back, which will also be available to purchase (card payments only). Refreshments will be served during this time, giving attendees the chance to mingle, chat with Roland, and try the VR experience.

This event follows hot on the heels of the University being awarded the Bronze Award for the Race Equality Charter (REC), recognising its commitment to advancing race equality and building a more inclusive university community.

About the Speaker – Roland Butcher:
In 1980, Roland Butcher became the first Black West Indian to play One Day International cricket for England, followed by his Test debut in 1981 against the West Indies in his birthplace of Barbados. Over a 20-year professional career with Middlesex County Cricket Club, he scored more than 12,000 runs, including 17 centuries, and helped secure six County Championships and six One Day trophies.

Beyond his playing career, Roland is an ECB Level 3 cricket coach and has worked internationally, coaching in countries including Australia, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Bermuda, and across Europe for the ICC. He recently retired as Head Coach at the Academy of Sport, UWI Cave Hill Campus, where he served as Director of Sports for nine years, overseeing the development of all sports programmes.

Roland is deeply involved in sports administration and mentoring, holding roles such as Director of the Barbados Cricket Association and Football Association, Chairman of the Sir Everton Weekes Centre of Excellence, and President of the Barbados Royals Girls Cricket Club. He has also worked as a football coach with Arsenal and Reading, and for 20 years has shared his expertise as a commentator and analyst for BBC, Sky Sports, and other outlets.

Before Roland’s lecture, we also invite you to join us in celebrating an important milestone for the University: achieving a Bronze Award in the Race Equality Charter (REC). The REC Celebration will take place from 16:30 – 17:30 in PM06, Postgraduate Centre (Luton Campus).

This event will highlight the work undertaken to understand and address institutional barriers faced by students and staff from minority ethnic backgrounds, and will share key messages from our new five-year Action Plan. All are warmly welcome to attend both the celebration and Roland’s talk – click here to sign up for the REC Celebration.