Ex-riders, officials, and supporters of Swindon Speedway came together last week to celebrate 70 years of the sport in the town and raise money for charity.

The event was hosted by the Blunsdon House Hotel last weekend, and saw rider interviews with track presenter Clive Fisher, a book launch of the “History of Abbey Stadium – Swindon”, displays of bikes and memorabilia, and an audio-visual show covering the 70 years of the Robins.

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Over 400 people attended, and it had to be split into two programmes to accommodate the level of demand from the public.

It also saw former riders Barry Briggs, Mike Broadbank, Martin Ashby, Mike Keen, Geoff Bouchard, Ian Williams, John Davis, Mac Woolford, Brian Leonard, Ralph Waller, Pat Johnson, and Ronnie Correy, in addition to Barry Duke, who had organised the event, in attendance.

The event was used as a fundraiser for the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund and raised over £3,000 for that charity.

Blunsdon House Garden Room, which has been the venue for many of the club’s annual dinner-dances, was chosen as the venue and to help thank them for hosting and their support over the years, a memorial frame picturing significant riders through the club’s 70-year history was presented to the hotel owner John Clifford.