Speedway Museum Project Our
travels far and wide through September have given a massive boost to the
fund so that we have now passed the 70% mark of our target with £20,000
now guaranteed, and more than £19500 raised. The majority of this
additional money coming from track collections that have taken place at
Belle Vue, Ipswich, Somerset, Newport, Exeter, Poole, and Sittingbourne
during September. Having requested donations from current riders we can
say that they are responding with cheques arriving most days. Indeed,
the first amount was from two young riders new to the sport Matthew and
David Tutton who will evermore be the first of current riders to donate,
something that can never be erased. Since then we have received sums
from Grand Prix riders and from riders in all three leagues, and of
varying nationalities. Maybe this will encourage others to be positive
about the Speedway Museum project!
We also wish commend to Chris Neath of Rye House who, in addition
to his personal contribution, intends to get sponsors for ten pence per
point to raise extra money for the Museum, this is planned for the
meeting at Rye House on 1st.October. Our thanks to Terry Stone, and Lyn
Morley who stood in for us at the East London Cycle Speedway event
raising a further £70. We
unfortunately experienced our second rain-off of the season at
Workington, but our thanks to Graham & Denise Drury who will
organise the collection before the end of the season. It was also great
for me to meet up again with Tony Swales. We have a collection date at
Sheffield on 6th October when the Tigers meet Kings Lynn. We
are still hopeful that a few more tracks will be able to hold
collections before the end of the season, and that it is possible for
that to be carried out without our presence being required. If we are
needed
we will have pleasure in attending with our banners etc. If
however it will not be possible for a track to hold a collection maybe
the fund project could be advertised in programmes and referred to by
the announcer
inviting people to donate personally or send for badges or draw tickets
to address below, cheques payable to WSRA. We
have our first meeting arranged at the end of October with the Heritage
Lottery Fund and are liaising with the Charity Commission. Several
enthusiasts have volunteered to join in with fund raising ideas. An
invitation to end of season function by Arena Essex and a Sunderland
Reunion in November will give further funding.
Last but not least the High Beech meeting on 19th
February 2006 is being run for the benefit of the Museum. Further
details regarding this will be released soon We also continue to sell
our badges & draw tickets. Wally Loak is selling his CD or
DVD “48” (which I think he now realises should be “49”) a
recording of Speedway events and personalities some now passed over.
Alan Hodkinson too is selling “Once a Jolly Swagman” a recording of
the film made so many years ago featuring Speedway with the riding
sequences filled by well known Riders. Both are selling and donating to
the Speedway museum fund. Dave Russell also has selling DVD’s
featuring Len Silver teaching the Blue Peter presenter’s at Hackney
back in 1972 first shown at the Hackney Re-union. As you can see we are
not entirely alone in seeking funding Please
don’t leave it to the people mentioned above. We are a big family,
possibly the most complete sporting family worldwide and we can all play
a part. Please Help Us to turn the Dream into Reality. George
Barclay 41 Lodge Avenue, Dagenham, Essex RM8 2JD
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