The grant received has really helped our club to improve safety around the track (including new safety fencing and barriers to replace wagon tyres) and has created positive feedback from all our competitors. Applying for the grant was easy, and the help given when doing so was faultless.

Any visit to our cliff top circuit on the exposed North coast of Jersey emphasises the importance of proper safety equipment, which is even more relevant when bad weather further adds to the challenges facing event organisers. Thanks to the grant from the BMSTT these problems are many times reduced, with our old heavy and aged catch fencing curtain now replaced with 15 modern safety barriers in softer impact lower density foam. Last minute cancellations are now a thing of the past, and we are grateful to the Trust for their guidance and support. Sincere thanks from the Channel Islands.

With vehicle construction constantly changing through increased use of lighter and stronger materials, we regularly review the capabilities of both ourselves and our Rescue Unit equipment. After recent trialling, we opted for a new inclined cutter as it offered the improvement in operational capability and enhanced ergonomics and handling that we were looking for, and the Trust grant received made this possible for us. As recently as 2018 grant from the BMSTT also enabled us to source a replacement rescue vehicle. This continuing and valued support enables us to operate an efficient and reliable rescue unit capable of meeting the challenges of today and beyond, and thus maintain safety cover at all our events.

We sought grant funding from the BMSTT to assist with urgent and much needed venue improvements and safety works at Fulbeck Airfield, which we use for multi use stage rallies. The funding received enabled this work to be undertaken, and as a result provided the venue with long term viability, reduced the risk of avoidable damage to competitor’s cars, and - most important of all – improved all round safety for compettiors and support personnel. Directly as a result of this, we ran a highly successful Covid free event for which the Club secured the Motorsport UK award for Organising Team of the Year. None of this would have been possible without the help and support of the BMSTT.

The acquisition of a replacement Rescue Vehicle was made possible by the BMSTT Grant Award even amid the effects of the current Covid-19 pandemic. This purchase represented a major investment for the Club, and ensures the clubs continued commitment to safety and efficiency at its race meetings across the UK. The BMSTT’s online application process set out the required key parameters in an understandable manner and was easy to navigate.

Westcountry Rescue was founded in 2012 and is run by a team of enthusiastic volunteers providing rescue and first aid to motorsport in the South West of England. In 2019 we started a crowdfunding appeal to help replace our oldest rescue unit vehicle, and although we received enthusiastic support from clubs and individual competitors, it was not until February 2020 that the grant from the BMSTT topped up our appeal sufficiently to enable us to complete the purchase a more modern and well equipped vehicle.

It is also worthy of note that within weeks, Covid-19 had struck and motorsport was halted, and Westcountry Rescue’s simple business model meant that we did not quality for any of the national relief grants. Within a few months, the BMSTT again literally came to the rescue with their Covid-19 Support Fund Grant and provided a not insignificant amount of support. We are all incredibly grateful for the BMSTT’s continued support and enthusiasm, and can only hope that our involvement fully justifies their faith in us. A big thank you.

A previous grant from BMSTT had enabled us to replace the hydraulic rescue equipment on one of our two Rescue Units with state of the art battery powered equipment, which radically improved the efficiency of the crew on that unit both in terms of the time saved to set up the equipment and the ease of handling the lighter equipment.

At the beginning of 2020 we had the opportunity to source a further set of battery powered equipment for our second Rescue Unit, and a further grant by BMSTT helped to enable this purchase, so that we now have two identically equipped units. As well as giving us a common level of efficiency between the two units, it has also removed the need for training on hydraulic rescue equipment and allowed all crews to concentrate on the use of solely battery powered equipment.

In our last 40 years as a Motorsport Rescue Unit, we have been very grateful to the BMSTT in their Funding of many upgrades we have planned both in equipment and vehicles during that time. With their assistance we only hope to further improve our service to Motorsport Safety in the times ahead. Thank you BMSTT – we much appreciate your support.

We applied for a BMSTT Grant retrospectively having refurbished our Rescue Unit and not being aware at the time that financial support from the Trust was available. From making initial contact the General Secretary made the whole process easy for us, clearly explaining what was needed in terms of completing the necessary paperwork and supporting documentation. It didn’t take long to pull it all together and we were delighted to receive a grant as a result, and which propelled our Rescue Unit from being an out of date, poor quality unit into one of the best around. For this we will be forever grateful. Excellent service, excellent concept and such friendly support. Highly recommend using them – and we are proud to have the BMSTT logo on our Rescue Unit.

Our old Ford Transit-based Rescue ambulance went on the road with CAM Rescue in 2011, but by 2019 it became apparent that a replacement needed to be sought. Finding a replacement was not easy, and soon the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic forced the search to be paused. During the first lockdown much consideration was given to the type of replacement that would best suit the need, and the BMSTT was approached and provided guidance on the available grant aid funding.

Once lockdown one ended the search recommenced, but it was quickly realised that 5 ton Ford Transit chassis cabs are somewhat rare. After many hours of searching, finally just before the Christmas 2020 lockdown a suitable vehicle appeared on the market, a deal was done, and we just got it back to base in time. Lockdown then provided an opportunity to carry out a ‘body transplant’ from our existing rescue unit to the new chassis, commencing the day after Boxing Day, and – after several significant mechanical and electrical challenges on the way – finally completed in April 2021.

The support of the Trust in enabling our somewhat unusual vehicle conversion so that we can continue to provide the required safety cover at events into the future is warmly acknowledged.

On behalf of the Solway Car Club I would like to express our appreciation of the financial support granted to us by the Training Trust relating to the upgrading of radios.

Communication is one of the most important issues that we have to cope with, and is also a lifeline (literally in some cases) when dealing with emergencies arising on events. Radios (and all other technical equipment) are renowned for becoming obsolete in short order, and so we were finding that our provision was not up to current standards and not 'fit for purpose' as is the current jargon.

The cost of upgrading was daunting for a small club like ourselves but the financial input from the Training Trust made all the difference - thank you for your generous support. It will not only help us as a club but also make events safer for competitors and marshals.

RAF Rescue are very grateful to the BMSTT for grants we have received during 2020. Their special Covid Support Fund helped with our ongoing costs whilst there was no Motorsport, and we separately received a contribution from their Safety Development Fund towards the purchase of a set of electric cutting equipment which will both speed up our extrication process and reduce our carbon footprint.

Scottish Motorsport Marshals Club (SMMC) has been grateful to BMSTT on a few occasions over the years, for grant funding towards the upgrade or replacement of Licensed Rescue Units. During the significant challenges of 2021, SMMC took the decision to acquire and equip a further vehicle for use primarily as a Licensed Stage Safety Unit. It is also able to function at as a Medical Response Unit at other motor sport events and is fully equipped to an advanced life support level (if crewed by a Paramedic or Doctor). The Club is very grateful to the Trustees of BMSTT for the grant contribution towards this vehicle, which is proving to be a significant asset in our provision of motor sports safety services.

The Association of Motorsport Recovery Operators (AMRO) is grateful for the continued support offered to our Members by the BMSTT, particularly during the covid pandemic. During 2020 BMSTT grants allowed seven of our members, who operate Motorsport UK licensed Recovery Units across the whole of the UK, to replace units and equipment ensuring they can continue to provide this vital mandatory safety service to Motorsport UK Clubs using reliable and up to date equipment.

As well as the normal safety development fund grants BMSTT also made funding available for recovery units that were suffering hardship during the pandemic due to lack of events. AMRO are very grateful to BMSTT for this assistance during a very difficult time for the whole motorsport family.

Even in motorsport itself, few people appreciate the costs involved in operating a rescue unit. The vehicle insurance, service and certification of our hydraulic rescue equipment, regular replacement of date-lifed medical items and hire charges for medical gases constitute an ongoing drain on our finances whether we are attending events or whether the vehicle is locked away in its garage. On behalf of all crewmates and myself, may I express our thanks for the grant made during the motorsport shutdown caused by the Covid pandemic. The generous grant made to us from the BMSTT’s Covid-19 Support Fund enabled us to keep our rescue unit in a state of readiness for the return of motorsport. We are most grateful for your help.

During Autumn 2020 our ageing Rescue Unit vehicle was replaced with a later model and fitted out to meet current requirements and specifications. The generous support of the BMSTT made this possible for us, and ensured that as soon as events were able to resume after the pandemic would be able to provide an updated service to motorsport. All aspects of applying and claiming for the grant were handled efficiently, with the guidance and advice provided by the Trust’s General Secretary making the whole exercise a positive experience in what were very difficult and challenging times.

The BMSTT grant award has not only helped us with the cost of track repair work, but has enabled us to get a new agreement with the landowner to protect future use. To put it simply, the award has reclaimed a venue previously lost to motorsport.

The grant from the BMSTT enabled us to purchase new safety barriers for our circuit at Golspie to replace the old tyre barriers. This has doubtlessly increased safety for the karts and cars that use the circuit.

The grant awarded for us to purchase safety management radios was gratefully received, and it has enabled us to communicate more efficiently with personnel even at dusty Autocross meetings, and equally used on rallies to further improve turnaround times. They have also proved invaluable in those areas where there is poor mobile coverage. Result, improved safety all round.