Jasper Carrott and 1st world war benevolent fund helping children

Written by James Gadsby-Peet 14th January 2009

A cinema benevolent fund set up in Birmingham 93 years ago to support employees who were the dependants and widows of fighting men in the First World War has now offered help to hundreds of Midlands children before merging with its national fund.

The Birmingham and Midlands Cinematograph Trade Benevolent Fund has put up the money to sponsor four Sunshine Coaches for Variety Club Midlands.

The first coach, a 17-seater minibus, was presented by comedian Jasper Carrott to Rigby Hall School, Bromsgrove in November and the second, a 13-seater tail-lift vehicle, to Beaufort School in Birmingham in January.

Tom Clarke, the 86 year old Fund president, said that the Fund originally supported staff at the many independent cinemas throughout the region, but with the demise of independents in the face of multiplex cinemas it had been decided to wind it down.

The chairman of Variety Club Midlands, David Higson, commented: "We are overwhelmed by the Fund's generosity. It was set up to help those left at home as their menfolk went off to fight in the war and now is helping children who have their own battles to fight. Who knows, some may even be the descendants of those who received aid in the early days."

Tom Clarke, who is still working and now runs 10-pin bowling and laser games businesses, said that he hoped the coaches would all go to areas where there were originally independent cinemas.