now recognized as one of the leading conservation Trusts in the UK and America, with Prince William as its royal patron. In 2004, Ackroyd's Ark, a book of animal drawings by friends and personalities from all walks of life was published and launched at Christie's and has to this date made £85,000 for Tusk. Other charities supported are as the Chairman of the Ackroyd Trust which helps drama students entering their final year of training and the establishing of The John Ackroyd Scholarship at the Royal College of Music. In 2012 he became a Trustee of The Mane Chance Sanctuary. One man show Ackroyd has performed his one-man show A Step Out of Time, produced by Dave Allen, to both public and private audiences internationally. A fierce advocate of the spoken word, he gives readings of Saki, Dickens and M. R. James. He starred with John Challis in a live Radio Theatre broadcast of Dracula for Ragamuffin Productions at The National Liberal Club in November 2013. Later career In November 2008 Ackroyd performed in Charles Dickens's Ghost story The Signalman with Rodney Bewes. In 2009 a volume of his poetry entitled Tripe was published. He also narrated Gogol's "Diary of a madman" to the Gogol suite by Schnitke, conducted by Vladimir Jurowski. He played the role of Jolly in the BBC3 production of "Beau Geste" by P.C. Wren. In 2015 he played Brian Donald Hume in "The Fuse" written by Ackroyd and Dame Beryl Bainbridge, which included a film directed by Edward Andrews and Nic Roeg. He also completed recordings of short stories by Saki and Stacy Aumonier. More recently Ackroyd recited The Middleham Requiem on the reinternment of the remains of King Richard III and followed this with a recital of all the major speeches from Henry V at St John's Smith Square with The Soloman Orchestra. Sir Michael Gambon described the performance as "breathtaking". In 2016 he recorded for his friend Alexander McCall Smith "My Italian Bulldozer". McCall Smith says of Ackroyd "Listening to an audio book recorded by Tim is always an utter pleasure. My publishers have entrusted several of my books to him and the results have been wonderful. Here is a voice that is rich, fun and immensely expressive". References 'ACKROYD, Sir Timothy Robert Whyte', Who's Who 2008, A & C Black, 2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, December 2007. External links thePeerage.com 1958 births