#10
Joey Dunlop Foundation
1 events
William Joseph Dunlop, OBE, MBE., will long be remembered by bikers world wide and his many friends for his record breaking achievements on the famous Isle of Man TT Mountain circuit. However, many of those people may not be aware that family man Joey was a caring person who undertook a number of lone and dangerous missions to the former Eastern European Countries in a van loaded with gifts and provisions for young children who were being deprived of live's essentials.
Immediately after Joey's death David Cretney M.H.K. and Peter Kneale set up the Joey Dunlop Fund in the Isle of Man. Around the same time the Joey Dunlop Benevolent Fund was opened in Ballymoney by Sammy Graham, Joey's Mechanic, and Ballymoney Mayor, Councillor Bill Kennedy. Both Funds closed at the end of 2000. Two large bronze statues were constructed and one was positioned in what is now known as the Joey Dunlop Memorial Garden in Ballymoney and the other is positioned at the Bungalow on the TT course in the Isle of Man. The funding for this was helped greatly by way of large donations given by Ferry Brouwer (Managing Director of Arai Helmet Europe), Bob McMillan, Honda Racing UK and by Ballymoney Council.
A goup of ardent Joey fans decided to approach his wife Linda, to seek her agreement to raise funds to construct a facility that would be of benefit to the community and also be a fitting memorial in recognition of the varied achievements of the person affectingly known as 'Yer Maun'. It was during the initial discussions with Linda and Honda's Bob McMillan that it was revealed that Joey would have liked to have constructed a facility to benefit poeple, especially children, with a disability.
Once this group of admirers had been given the green light by the Dunlop family, fund raising plans were instigated and the Joey Dunlop Foundation, (formerly known as the Joey Dunlop Injured Riders Fund) was established, initially to raise funds to install a lift in the TT grandstand to make access possible to the main viewing gallery for the disabled. The second undertaking was to provide much needed accommodation for the physically challenged and their families on the Isle of Man.
Apart from a sizeable contribution from Arai Helmets, (£57,000) all funds have been raised by the Foundation committee members who have worked long hours, especially during the summer months, and have always looked for much needed extra support from Joey Dunlop fans throughout the world. In 2005 a property was purchased in Victoria Road, Douglas, near the TT Grandstand,at a cost of £200,000.
The Holiday Home Links & Sponsors
Joey Dunlop Merchandise
Cheque Donations payable to 'The Joey Dunlop Foundation' can be sent to the Chairman - Kevin Quirk, 12 First Avenue, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 6BA
or Trustee - Bruce Baker, 11 Harcroft Road, Saddlestone Park, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 1PN
In 2007 the Joey Dunlop Foundation managed to raise £91,000! This is a fantastic achievement, especially as the Centenary TT did not bring in the revenue which we had hoped for. Unfortunately the building tenders came in at £200k over our available budget, throughout the winter and into the spring of 2008, we looked at ways in which we could provide disabled holiday accommodation on site at a cost within present finances. After a meeting with Linda Dunlop & John Harris, we decided to source 3 independant luxury pine lodges and with consultation with various groups we had to come up with a unique arrangement which would satisfy the planning department. The manufacturing companies that build these fully fitted lodges would not take on the contract for the propsed unique buildings thus leaving the JDF with a huge dilemma on what way forward the charity should take.
In June 2009 the charity have purchased Braddan Bridge House and sold the Victoria Road site. The new site has many advantages over the previous site with the main points being that it is on the TT Course with excellent veiwing of the TT Races and it has ample space both inside and out. The plans for the conversion, from single dwelling to 3 self-contained appartments, was passed in July 09 and the JDF are now waiting for Building Control approval before calculating the costs for completing the alterations.
The banked funds to date is £100,000, with the total amount raised by the Foundation being £575,000!
be required within Joey's Holiday Home!
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