22nd February 2012

From: Air Commodore Jack Broughton OBE DL

Chairman of Trustees
The AirCrew Association Archive Trust (A3T)
Registered Charity Number 1087354

AIRCREW ASSOCIATION ARCHIVE TRUST – UPDATE

Over the last few months there have been a number of initiatives that have affected the A3T that former members of the ACA might wish to hear about. I say former members of the ACA since the Association formally dissolved on the 31st December 2011 leaving the Archive Trust to carry on as the sole surviving legacy of the 34 years of its existence.

You will be pleased to learn that in the months leading up to the end of 2011 the ACA Charity Trust (ACACT) made good progress in handing over responsibility for any future welfare involvement for former aircrew members and their kin to SSAFA.  Ahead of this the ACA Charity Trustees decided formally to recognise the educational aims of the A3T by donating £50,000 to support their work. This was an unexpected and a most generous gift and gratefully received.

In addition to individual contributions the A3T has also received a donation from the Uxbridge Branch following its demise and similarly a cheque for £1858 from the Biggin Hill Wing was forwarded by Bob Hinds the former ACA Secretary.

As 2012 dawned, detailed planning work commenced at the Yorkshire Air Museum on the new building being erected to house the ACA Archive material located there. To support this A3T Trustees forwarded a cheque for £10,000, the first instalment towards the estimated building cost of £100,000. Fortunately hot on the heels of this outgoing amount the Trust received a cheque from the ACA, following its dissolution, for £68,230. Again we are most grateful to the former ACA Chairman Des Richard, Treasurer Tom Nelson and the dedicated members of Council for seeing through the final months of ACA activity. This means the Archive Trust Funds remaining at the beginning of March 2012 will total some £155,000 which the Trustees consider will provide sufficient funds to erect and provide support the operation of the new building. Even so the Trustees would like to build on this initiative and would be pleased to receive any financial contributions you might wish to make as the archive requires constant funding if it is to remain a worthwhile attraction. In addition to this, all military aircrew are reminded that the ACA Archive is a “living” thing and will only flourish if it is supported by donations of memorabilia in addition to monetary contributions.

In the autumn of 2011, the A3T Trustees welcomed 2 new members: Ray Flack who was the Editor of INTERCOM for over 10 years and David Jackson who has taken over the running of the ACA Website which is now under A3T jurisdiction.  To balance the numbers Tony Edwards, a lay Trustee, well known in aviation circles decided to call it a day. Soon after this the Treasurer and ACA Member from the Worcester Branch, John Waring, offered his resignation. Both of these gentlemen had given many years of excellent service to the charity and their support deserves our gratitude.

A visit to the Archive Trust section of the website will reveal an up to date list of the current Trustees which will show that we are running light without a Treasurer so if anyone feels the urge to help I would be pleased to receive your call. Finally, I wish you all an enjoyable summer in 2012.

Adios Jack

15 Wilmcote Grove, Southport PR8 2SP
email jack.broughton@lineone.net