Ben Fund Special - Mitchell Davey, Paul Ackroyd & Roddy McDougall

In this episode we look at the work of the world's only charity dedicated to helping injured speedway riders. The Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund.If you'd like to donate, TEXT SRBF to 70085 to give £5. WE’RE ALL EXCITED TO SEE BRITISH SPEEDWAY GETTING BACK UNDERWAY AGAIN, THE SPEED AND THE DANGER ARE SOME OF THE ASPECTS THAT MAKE THE SPORT SO THRILLIING TO WATCH. 500CC BIKES WITH NO BREAKS HURTLING AT 70MPH INTO A CORNER IS A FANTASTIC SPECTACLE. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SPEEDWAY GOES WRONG?RIDERS KNOW FULL WELL THE RISKS THEY TAKING IN THEIR CAREERS AND FOR OUR ENJOYMENT. ACCIDENTS WILL ALWAYS HAPPEN AND THANKS TO BETTER SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR RIDERS, AND AIRFENCES, THESE ARE OFTEN RELATIVELY MINOR. HOWEVER UNFORTUNATELY HEADING INTO THIS SEASON THERE WILL BE SOME RIDERS WHO DON’T KNOW IT YET, BUT WILL FIND THEMSELVES INJURED AND SIDELINED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. NO SPEEDWAY MEANS NO PAY. RIDERS USUALLY GET PAID PER APPEARANCES AND PER POINT - HOWEVER FOR RIDERS IN BRITISH SPEEDWAY’S LEAGUES WE HAVE THE WORLDS ONLY CHARITY FOR INJURED SPEEDWAY RIDERS. THE SPEEDWAY RIDERS BENEVOLENT FUND, OR THE BEN FUND FOR SHORT, EXISTS SOLELY TO OFER SUPPORT AND SSISTANCE TO SPEEDWAY RIDERS WHO HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED WHILST RIDING FOR BRITISH BASED TEAMS.SOMETIMES THE SUPPORT CAN BE SHORT TERMS, BUT AS WE KNOW ALL TOO WELL LIVES CAN BE CHANGED PERMANENTLY AS A RESULT OF INJURIES GAINED IN THE SPORT. AND SOMETIMES THESE INJURIES OR OTHER HEALTH ISSUES CAN EVEN PRESENT THEMSELVES LONG AFTER A RIDER HAS RETIRED.IN THIS EPISODE WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE BEN FUND. WE’LL SPEAK TO RIDER MITCHELL DAVEY, WHOSE LIFE WAS CHANGED IN A SPLIT SECOND WHEN HE WAS CRITICALLY INJURED WHILE RACING FOR BIRMINGHAM BRUMMIES 3 YEARS AGO, THE BEN FUND SPRANG INTO ACTION AND TOOK AWAY SOME OF THE IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL WORRIES AND HELPED HIS RECOVERY. MITCH IS REPAYING THAT SUPPORT WITH A CHARITY BIKE RIDE LATER THIS YEAR WHICH WE’LL ALSO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT.AND WE’LL SPEAK WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BENEVOLENT FUND PAUL ACKROYD. A FORMER FIM REFEREE WHO NOW OVERSEES THE CHARITY, AND ENSURING THOSE WHO NEED IT GET THE RIGHT SUPPORT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.PLUS WE’LL SPEAK WITH A FAN DOING HIS BIT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR THE CHARITY. RODDY MCDOUGALL IS A FORMER TV JOURNALIST AND EXECUTIVE, AND WAS ONCE THE HEAD OF NEWS AT GMTV. HE’S WRITTEN A BOOK CALLED NO BREAKS - ABOUT THE SPORT, CHARTING THE LAST 12 MONTHS WHEN VERY LITTLE HAPPENED AND EXPLORING HOW SPEEDWAY CAN MAKE IT BIG AGAIN. WITH ALL OF HIS ROYALTIES GOING TO THE BENEVOLENT FUND… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices