The ACU Benevolent Fund

The ACU Benevolent Fund has helped thousands of riders through times of hardship since it first came in to being more that 50 years ago. The Ben Fund Officer for the Eastern Centre is Martin Cross.

Background History of the Benevolent Fund

The Auto-Cycle Union Benevolent Fund, in it's present form, was brought to life in 1950 with £80.00 in the kitty. The fund was originally financed, in cash, by the ACU Management with an amount of £396 and one penny and subsequently by donations, subscriptions, bequests and subscriptions under covenant.

The original Trustees who formed the Administrative Committee.were:

Professor A M Lowe, Major Harry Watling, John Ferguson and Ken Topping, who became the first treasurer.
The editors of the Motor Cycle and Motor Cycling were: Arthur Bourne and Graham Walker (father of Murray Walker).
The Presidents of the South Midland and Yorkshire Centres, Bob Lowe and Alan Jefferies

Centre clubs and individuals responded to appeals for financial help. Organisers promoted Grass Track, Motocross and Road Race meetings on behalf of the Benevolent Fund. In 1954 came the introduction of Ben Fund TT Badges with a different design every year.

Early on it was realised that a committee meeting could not function effectively without the guidance of advisers on the spot. For this reason, representatives from ACU Centres were appointed and many cases of hardship would not have come to light without their local knowledge. From the beginning, the intention of the fund was to reduce financial hardship.

The Benevolent Fund, like any other Registered Charity, is registered with the Charity Commission. The fund is not an insurance scheme for which stated benefits are an entitlement. No-one has a right to help from the fund. It is up to the committee to decide the amount of assistance that may be given.

The first Chairman of the committee in 1950 was Alan Jeffries, followed by Harry Louis, Lou Ellis and Keith Collow. Our present Chairman is Roy Hanks. The first Treasurer in 1950 was Ken Topping, followed by Eddie Cope and Bill Smith, all from the East Midland Centre.

Without investments, the income received from donations, the sale of badges etc., would not cover the grants paid out each month. Investments help but it is essential to have a steady flow of donations to cover the higher level of grants necessary, to offset inflation.

Ken Blampied

A bit more about the Benevolent Fund

After our 50th year, the Fund is continuing to help past and present club members and their dependents who, through no fault of their own, face financial difficulties and need help in coping with them. The grants they receive help them considerably over this period, but we must once again make it very clear that the fund is NOT an additional form of insurance (members are covered for this by the ACU insurers). Rather, it is a charity supplying grants monthly to augment small incomes.

Insurances, social benefit and other state benefits could be applicable and sufficient in most cases. The area in which the Benevolent Fund can be of assistance is in the initial period prior to the state benefits being arranged. Our centres help us with donations, sponsored events, raffles, functions etc., and we are very grateful for the money they send us. Everyone will appreciate in these difficult times, that the Benevolent Fund is requested to give more assistance than in the past. Therefore, we again request your continued support in helping us to assist those in need.

Finally, everybody who buys one of the yearly TT badges is helping in a small way to contribute, as without all these sources of income, we would find it very difficult to maintain our present levels of assistance.

Each centre has at least one Centre Benevolent Fund Officer (or CBFO) and it is his/her responsibility to obtain all the information possible on the special forms provided, verify it and then pass it on to Rugby for consideration at the next committee meeting. However, if it is urgent, there is a small sub-committee consisting of the Chairman and Treasurer of the Fund who are empowered to make an emergency grant without waiting for it to be agreed in full committee.

It should also be made perfectly clear that all the information on the forms, i.e. names, personal details, questions regarding income and expenditure is treated as STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL to the CBFOs, the Ben Fund Trustees and their Committee and also their Secretary, and the information is never divulged to anybody else without permission