Here's an interesting website.

He didn’t seem to change his clothes much last year! 😉

Perhaps someone will post an image of one of the ABCT memorials because, as they say, a picture speaks a thousand words. Then people can judge the activities of Mr Bannerman and the ABCT for themselves.

http://abct.studiofivedesign.com/news/cumbria-abct-memorials-weekend

Follow the individual links for pictures of the memorials.

As for why a charity recieves so little donations and yet is funded largely by a small number of it’s members – I have my theories but I’m not going to say anything that could be taken as libelous.

Perhaps someone will post an image of one of the ABCT memorials because, as they say, a picture speaks a thousand words. Then people can judge the activities of Mr Bannerman and the ABCT for themselves.

On another theme, does anyone know why this charity receives so little by way of public donations? It seems to spend not insignificant sums of money on marketing and publicity (£8,982 in 2010 and £16,416 in 2011) and on its website (£21,310 in 2010 and £11,654 in 2011). Does it do so in order to tell the public what it is doing and/or planning to do, rather than to solicit donations from the public to support its charitable works? If it is the former, that seems a rather unusual approach for a charity, particularly when regard is had to the statement, in the charity’s accounts, that:

“….a significant re-development and expansion of the charity’s website was co-ordinated and overseen by Mr K P Bannerman, who personally met all associated costs. It is acknowledged that it significantly enhanced the charity’s ability to engage the general public, as well as to provide an educational resource, both of which are in line with the objectives of the charity. The costs incurred specifically within the financial period of £52,750 whilst not income received or expenses incurred directly by the charity, are costs which the charity has had the enjoyment of during the financial year”.

Always it has been my view that charitable works should speak for themselves, and not require to be publicised, unless the direct objective of the latter is to increase public giving to the charity – which, on the published facts, is not happening in the case of this charity.

There is/has been a fairly heated debate over at AIX about this.

For the record I have absolutely nothing against the recording and dedication of memorials to airfields when done with due reverence and genuine gratitude to those who served there.

What I object to is these monoliths that give the bare minimum of info on the site, a generic cursary note of thanks and the 50% of it’s face filled with self promotion of those that dumped it there. That and the smug self-satisfied look on Mr. Bannermans face and self-agrandisment when one of these McMemorials is unveiled. He looks like a dog pleased with himself at the unsightly turd he’s just dropped to mark his territory.

Worse still, with these things in place it makes it hard for those more local and much more deeply involved in recording the history of the airfields to propose their own more fitting memorials. And I’m sure if they did get a go ahead Mr. Bannerman would object.

So yeah, I’m not a fan.

Well it does appear – I am glad to say – that my memory is reasonably reliable!

Although I could not find it mentioned on its website (although I may have missed it there), the Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust is a charity. That much was confirmed by a search of the Charities Commission website. There one finds an overview of the charity (at http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithoutPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1112829&SubsidiaryNumber=0) which makes interesting reading. More interesting still are the last filed accounts (at http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends29%5C0001112829_ac_20110405_e_c.pdf).

The Trust’s last filed accounts seems to suggest that for a charity which has a “website, now officially one of the world’s most popular…”, it is surprisingly unsuccessful in obtaining donations from the public. In 2010 public donations amounted to just £181. However in that year Mr Bannerman, directly and indirectly, was most munificent. Personally he gave £35,995 to the Trust and a further £133,340 was given by the J D Bannerman Charitable Trust. In 2011 it appears that the public dug no deeper into their pockets to give to the Trust for their donations had dropped to £138. However Mr Bannerman continued his generosity by giving £53,156 (his charitable trust has been wound up).

It seems that my comment that the ABCT “is something of a one man band” is not inappropriate. It appears that, largely on his own, Mr Bannerman both runs and funds the Trust. On the face of it, such is to be commended. On the basis of the documents available through the Charities Commission website, it would seem that he is amongst the many people in the historic aviation world who are prepared to devote their own time and money to that about which they are most passionate. However if one looks beyond the ABCT website and the charity’s publically accessible documents, it does appear that there are voices which are less congratulatory of the ABCT and Mr Bannerman. But as I know no more of the ABCT and Mr Bannermanm than that which I have read, I am not the person to develop this theme. It is for others, with actual knowledge, to do so if they wish.

Well, it does seem to engage the interest, and I had a look at RAF Errol as a result of scanning that web-site, and found that there is/was a Gannet airframe resting there:

http://www.flugzeugbilder.de/netshow.php?id=289217

… and …

http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/forum/forum/m-1234632531/

There is/was a Bucanner and a Vampire there too.

Pity see to the Gannet in poor order, but at least saved if not ‘preserved’.

He got himself on my local news last year: http://www.itv.com/westcountry-west/airfield-more92623/

To quote from from his site: ‘Our website, now officially one of the world’s most popular, records well over…’ (my italics).

I didn’t know aviation heritage had quite that large a following.

Rob

Here for starters and I’m sure I’ve seen a much longer thread somewhere as well

Somewhere, in the deep recesses of my mind, there’s a memory tells me that this organisation is something of a one man band that has stirred up some controversy. Maybe someone more knowledgeable in this field can say either that my memory does not serve me well or elaborate upon the subject?

AA……………..

I agree with your recollection. Seem to remember the controversy blew up about a couple of years ago. I cannot remember if it was on this forum or another.

Planemike

Fascinating.

Let’s hope we learn more.

Anybody?

Moggy

Somewhere, in the deep recesses of my mind, there’s a memory tells me that this organisation is something of a one man band that has stirred up some controversy. Maybe someone more knowledgeable in this field can say either that my memory does not serve me well or elaborate upon the subject?

Ah the “McMemorials”.

Not a fan of the shameless self promotion of Mr. Bannerman.

Great site and ambition! Bit difficult to keep an airfield ‘secret’ though unless one is talking about the memory being lost. I would be helping if I was there. 😉