Speedway
Museum Project End of Season Update Having
spent the last 7 months travelling to more tracks than I did when I was
riding, even Poole & Workington for rain-offs, we have now raised
over £43,000, passing 79% of our target. We are very grateful to all
who have helped us during the season providing items for us to raise
money for the Museum. The latest additions to the funding team are Steve
Casey “Green
Light & Go”, a Speedway poem, Tony Lethbridge
“The End of an Era” composite print of the County Ground and
riders, and Brian Longman Posters
of Sunderland Teams. Our very special thanks to Chris Neath, Rye
House No.1, who on his own initiative raised in two meetings £500. We would also like to thank Tony MacDonald (Backtrack
& VSM Magazines for their continued support and publicity, also
Peter Oakes (Speedway Star) keeping the speedway family up to date with
the Museum’s progress. Peter Sampson and his family at Paradise
Wildlife Park continue to encourage and support our efforts to build the
museum there, and have been happy to welcome a number of fans who have
visited the park during the current season. We
are grateful for the 13 tracks that held collections this season and the
4 tracks that have agreed to collections taking place next season. We
would be very grateful if the remaining promotions could make the same
commitment giving all supporters the opportunity to contribute to their
museum. We
look forward to joining Arena Essex club members at The Thurrock Hotel
Dinner Dance on 12th November. Whilst Bob Ferry and Ian
Martin have organised the Sunderland re-union at the Pullman Lodge
Seaburn, where we meet up again with my adopted family in the North
East, all profits to be donated to the Speedway Museum Fund. We have
received a donation raised at the Wolverhampton Dinner Dance courtesy of
Chris Van Straaten and Peter Adams The
77th anniversary of Speedway’s first meeting, takes place
at the King’s Oak High Beech on 19th February 2006 profits
to the museum fund. Look out for the adverts in Speedway Star and other
publications from December. Further details of the Fayre are available
from Andy Griggs 01553 82706. If anyone is planning events during the
closed season please bear the Museum Fund in mind, we need support from
everyone in Speedway. Our
meeting with the Heritage Lottery Commission was encouraging, but we
have a lot of work to do for the application to succeed. It must be
pointed out that the lottery fund does
not contribute to buildings. It will support the purchase of display
material and equipment. Therefore our target figure of £55,000 remains
for us to achieve. We have already received offers of help with the
application for which we are very grateful. We
continue to seek funds, publicity and opportunities to make the museum a
reality, and welcome any assistance and support from the speedway family
to achieve the dream. We really do need your help to achieve the target
especially as there are less opportunities during the closed season £12,000
still gives us a mountain to climb albeit a smaller mountain. All
donations will be acknowledged in the museum, please take the opportunity
to be part of your Museum to The
History of Speedway. We
have a number items including badges, CD’s, DVD’s, speedway poem for
sale all proceeds going to the museum fund, full details available at
the address below. |