kyle bickley
speedway champion
Keith Miller believes in putting his money where his
mouth is. So when he sings the praise of rising speedway
star Kyle Bickley, it’s an endorsement that comes with
financial clout.
“I see Kyle as a potential World Champion of the future,”
enthuses Keith of the 12-year-old Cumbrian. “I’ve
spoken to former World Champion Gary Havelock,
who agrees he could go all the way.”
Last year Keith backed up his ringing endorsement
of the World 125cc champion by giving him a sixyear sponsorship deal worth “several thousand
pounds a year”.
It’s the sort of dedication to the high-flying
sport of speedway that has already seen Keith’s
Middlesbrough-based company Ecco Finishing
Supplies sponsoring local team Redcar Bears for the
last two seasons – with a third year of support about to
get underway.
It is a proud commitment for Keith, who clearly takes
great satisfaction from sharing his business success with
his local community.
Keith gave Ecco a kick-start when he launched the business
from a spare bedroom with the purchase of a £25 typewriter
from Argos. Now the company turns over £5 million a
year, manufacturing and supplying shot-blasting and fire
protection equipment to worldwide clients in the oil, gas
and off-shore industries.
But while Keith’s corporate horizons now stretch to fields
as far as Kazakhstan, Russia and the Far East, his heart
remains closer to home. He believes he has a responsibility
to support the Teesside community in which he was born
and raised.
As such, Ecco not only sponsor Redcar Bears but
Middlesbrough Cricket Club too, as well as Middlesbrough
Homeless Football Club, helping to put back on track
young people who have found themselves without a home
to call their own.
But it’s speedway that Keith loves – and that’s how he came
across starlet Kyle when he started racing – and starring for Redcar Cubs.
“Kyle’s got incredible talent,” says Keith. “I’m exciting
about his potential, so watch this space. But he’s also such
a lovely kid to talk to, so likeable, that it would make me
proud to do my bit if he fulfils his potential.
“His
parents
deserve massive
credit too. They are so committed, driving him across the
country so he can complete four laps of the track. That’s
the sort of backing needed for kids with such potential. I’m
glad to keep on doing my bit with Ecco’s sponsorship.”
So why did Keith choose to put his hard-earned money into
a young speedway rider when any advertising he receives
in return is unlikely to wield any business for Ecco?
Keith replies: “As a business, Ecco Finishing is going really
well and I wanted to share some of the financial benefits
of that success. It’s all very well working hard and making
profits but I’m a firm believer in giving something back.
“It’s easy enough to have the attitude of ‘You’re not getting
my money’, but I want to help others. I’m in a fortunate
position and I want to do something positive. All you need
is for Kyle to really do it. I’d be able to say ‘I sponsored that
guy years ago when he was just a kid’. That would give me
immense pride.”
www.kylebickley.com www.sportip.biz 29