Villar fund swells as benefit meeting looms.

With only a month to go before the Carlos Villar Benefit meeting is set to explode upon the Berwick sporting scene, his fund continues to grow at a steady rate, once again through the close season.

Fund raising is continuing at fever pitch as it is foreseen that the fund will be tied up some time around early May, and it is the aim to make as much as possible before then. This should give clubs who have not yet held a collection for Carlos to do so during the early part of the 2004 season.

At the committee meeting this week it was revealed that the total has risen to a spectacular ?16,169.20 with major input from the White Horse in Berwick (?707). On top of that has already come over ?400 from the sale of the Benefit badges (ordering details below) with items being sent to every corner of the British Isles.

Carlos himself is due for release from the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough this coming Wednesday (11th Feb) and can feel the excitement level growing as the date looms large.

He won't have too long to settle into a routine though as he has been very kindly invited by Ice Speedway promoter, Graham Drury to be the guest of honour at this year's Telford Ice Speedway Spectacular that takes place at the Telford Ice Rink, Telford, Shropshire on Sunday February 15th.

In a magnificent gesture Drury has offered the V.I.P. treatment to Villar who will receive the very best attention all day and will be introduced to the competitors on the centre green before the double events along with presenting trophies throughout the day. It will be a very, very special day and an important one in the process of rehabilitation.

The Carlos Villar badge (available at a minimum donation to the fund of ?5.00) will be available at Telford on the day as well as the big speedway day at High Beech on February 29th, and the launch of British Speedway 2004 at the Agricultural centre, Stoneleigh on March the 7th.

The benefit speedway meeting itself will take place at Shielfield Park, Tweedmouth, Berwick upon Tweed on Saturday March 6th ...with a strict start time of 6.45pm and first race at 7.00pm due to the planned 21 races that night.

It will be a Four Team Championship between Berwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle with several Elite League guests being invited, with American Sam Ermolenko and former World Champion Gary Havelock almost sure starters with another major World Speedway star in the process of being signed up as we speak.

The 16 match heats will be supplemented by reserve heats and a Carlos Villar Trophy for all Berwick riders on track that night.

Admission is by donation only, and the minimum admission costs will be - Adults ?10.00, Concessions ?7.00, Children (under 16) ?2.00 and children under 5 free of charge. Souvenir programme will be produced at a minimum donation of ?2.00.