Racecourses Unite for Record-Breaking Racing Together Community Day
More than 30 British Racecourses came together to give back to their local communities on Thursday 9th May for the 3rd annual Racing Together Community Day.
The Hamilton Park team donned their shovels to help their local community
The day provided racecourses with the opportunity to build lasting relationships with neighbours and give back to the communities in which they operate. This year, over 120 racecourse staff donated their time and got involved in the biggest Racing Together Community Day to date where activities ranged from gardening at a primary school in Chepstow to an employability day at Musselburgh.
Caroline Williams, General Manager at Chepstow Racecourse said: “we were delighted to help out local school St Marys for Racing Together Community Day with gardening duties around their playground. It was great to get out of the office and mix together with all our work colleagues in a totally different environment, whilst enjoying the fresh air!”
The Chepstow team helped tidy a local playground as part of Racing Together Community Day
Sarah Montgomery, Senior Operations and Commercial Manager at Musselburgh Racecourse said: “we were thrilled to again welcome students from Musselburgh Grammar who are considering a career in the hospitality industry. Giving these young people an insight in to the real-life working experience or providing skills that boosts their CV and may help in securing a job, is a day well spent and we are pleased to have supported Racing Together’s Community Day.”
Beverley Racecourse chose to approach the Racing Together Community Day from an alternative angle by repackaging an existing raceday into the ‘Great Big Charity Racenight’, where five selected local charities will be major beneficiaries of a focused build-up and race night on the Westwood. Kate McKee, Marketing Manager of Beverley Racecourse, commented “Rather than focus on a single charity we’ve decided to support five very worthy causes. We’ve also decided to go all out by effectively devoting the evening to them – it really is their night!
“The assets and opportunities we are making available to the charities are worth thousands of pounds and will enable them to turn that into vital funds, while also raising awareness of their good work.”
Beverley’s Great Big Charity Racenight will honour five local charities
Managed by Racing Together and the RCA, planning for the Racing Together Community Day began in September 2018 with the aim of making 2019’s event the biggest yet. With more racecourses involved and staff hours donated than ever before, the Racing Together Community Day has become a genuine event in the industry calendar. The total number of horseracing industry businesses involved exceeded 50 with over 1,500 hours donated.
The RCA has compiled racecourse activity completed to date—please click here to download.
Paul Swain, the RCA’s Brand & Experience Manager, commented “the Racing Together Community Day demonstrates the power of horseracing at its best. Racecourses across the country came together to make a difference in their localities, with many projects set to benefit their neighbours for many years to come.
“The work doesn’t stop with this one day. With Racing Together, the RCA is proud to work with racecourses in promoting community engagement and we have already seen a number of cases in which lasting relationships are flourishing between racecourses and their community partners.”
