Introduction
The ACU Benevolent Fund was established in April 1950 and for many years has provided support to ACU club members and their families in times of financial hardship. Any request for support from ACU affiliated club members will be considered by the committee. This is separate from any personal injury or accident insurance the applicant may receive.
As you can imagine, it is not a bottomless pit and is dependent on donations and fund raising activities by the members. The ACU does not apply a levy to support this fund and the principles by which fund raising should be undertaken is simply that, someone may need help - and it could be you or yours. Like donating blood we reckon. How could you accept a life saving transfusion if you have never given?
Background History
The Auto-Cycle Union Benevolent Fund was formed in 1950 with a small budget of £80.00. 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: Professor A M Lowe, Major Harry Watling, John Ferguson and Ken Topping, who became the first treasurer. The Administrative Committee was formed with the editors of the Motor Cycle and Motor Cycling, Arthur Bourne and Graham Walker (father of Murray Walker) and the Presidents of the South Midland and Yorkshire Centres, Bob Lowe and Alan Jefferies, the first Chairman.
Centres, Clubs and individuals responded to appeals for financial help, and 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 - 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 first Chairman, Alan Jeffferies, was followed by Louis 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.
The Fund Today
The Benevolent Fund is registered with the Charity Commission and information on finances etc. can be found on their website.
After 74 years the Fund continues to help past and present Club Members and their dependants through times of financial difficulty. The grants they receive can help considerably, particularly in the early days before insurance payments and state benefits are available. It must be noted that the Fund is NOT an additional form of insurance, members are by the ACU Insurers, it is a Charity supplying grants monthly to augment small incomes.
Insurances, Social Security and other state benefits could be applicable and sufficient in most cases.
Funding still comes from our Centres and clubs with donations, sponsored events, raffles, functions etc., and we are very grateful for the money they raise for us. In these difficult times the Benevolent Fund Committee are dealing with increasing numbers of requests for assistance and your continued support is vital in helping us to assist those in need.
Typically, the committee approves around £5,000 in assistance grants every month.
From a recent grant recipient:- "Thank you and the committee for considering me with a further grant. I am really appreciative of ALL the financial help that you have gifted me this past year and can honestly say that you have saved me with the generosity from an unthinkable year. Please pass on my fondest regards and sincere thanks for all involved."
Finally, everybody who buys one of the yearly T.T. 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 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, but 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 noted that all the information on the forms, names, personal details, questions regarding income and expenditure is treated in the STRICTEST CONFIDENCE by the CBGO's, the Ben Fund Trustees, Committee and Secretary and the information is never divulged to anybody else without permission.
ACU Benevolent Fund Committee
ROY HANKS (Chairman) (Trustee)
Roy has been a member of the Administrative Committee since 1988 and was made a Trustee in 1989. Roy took over the role of Chairman in 1997 and still remains in this position. Roy still enjoys competing at International level and competes in the Isle of Man TT sidecar class every year.
e-mail: royacu97@gmail.com
WYN EVANS MBE (Vice Chairman) (Trustee)
Wyn has been Centre Benevolent Officer for the Isle of Man Centre for 13 years and was invited to be the first lady member of the Administrative Committee and trustee in 2002. Wyn was Competitors Welfare Officer for the Manx Grand Prix from 1998, Southern 100 racing from 1999 and TT since 2000. Wyn retired from this job in 2021 but is still involved through the Isle of Man Centre.
e-mail: acubenfundiom@manx.net
MARGARET CARTER JP (Treasurer) (Trustee)
Margaret joined the Benevolent Fund as a member of the Administrative Committee in September 2004 and become Treasurer of the Fund in 2009. Margaret is actively involved in the Yorkshire Centre and has been their Centre Benevolent Fund Officer since 2002.
e-mail: mcarterhuntersgap@btinternet.com
LYN FRANCIS (Trustee)
Lyn joined the Benevolent Committee in 2016 and became a Trustee in 2017. Lyn is a member of the Wirral Hundred MC based in the Cheshire and North Wales Centre. She acted as an official at the Club's road racing and trials events from the late 1970's till 2022 and was also an official in the BSB series from 2000 to 2012.
email: lyn.francis18@gmail.com
DAVE PORTER (Committee Member)
Dave joined the Committee in 2017, having been a Centre Benevolent Fund Officer for many years. He is currently Chairman of the South Midland Centre and started in Grass Track both solo and sidecar then moved to Road Racing side cars in classic and modern classes. Dave has also competed in solo Trials and had now retired from competition.
email: david.porter31@btinternet.com
CHARLIE PATTISON (Trustee)
Charlie joined the Benevolent Fund as a member of the Administrative Committee in October 2008. Charlie is actively involved in the South Western Centre with the Somerton and District C and is also the current President of G.R.A.S.A. Charlie started his competitive career in 1964 in Trials on a 250 Dot and progressed through several machines finally riding a Bultaco Sherpa until 1975. In 1973 Charlie started riding Moto Cross on a 250 Greeves, followed by Bultaco CCM and Maico machines. During this period he also rode Grass Track in the 250, 350 and 500 Sols Classes. Charlie finally retired in 2019 after 55 years in the sport.
email: charlie.pattison48@gmail.com
EDDIE NELSON (Committee Member)
Eddie joined the Benevolent Fund Administrative Committee in 2018. Eddie has been a member of the Road Race Committee for many years and is active in the East Midland Centre.
email: eddie@darleymoor.co.uk
TOM VIVIAN (Committee Member) Tom has been a Benevolent Fund Officer for ACU Western since 2015 and joined
the Administrative Committee in 2024.
Tom built and raced drag bikes between 1976 and 1991 winning three National
Club Championships in the early 1980’s. Tom is currently President and Chairman of Malvern and District MC&LCC and ACU Western National Council Delegate.
email: tomandjillvivian@gmail.com
DIANA DYCE (Committee Member) Diana has been involved in the SACU Club committee since the early 2000’s and
also in SACU Road Race until retiring in 2023.
She is still an affiliated club member and joined the Benevolent Fund Administrative
Committee in 2024.
email: diana.dyce@gmail.com