RW charity partner of QIPCO British Champions Day
Racing Welfare has been announced as the Official Charity of QIPCO British Champions Day, following on from The British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre in 2016.
Racing Welfare is the only charity that supports the entirety of the workforce of British horseracing, from the stable and stud staff to those who work on the racecourses and beyond. Professional advice, practical help and emotional support is offered to those at the recruitment stage through to those in retirement. In 2016, more than 2,000 racing staff received support from Racing Welfare, a number which is increasing year-on-year. The charity also has more than 140 units of accommodation which are rented, at affordable rates, to young people entering the industry and to staff who have retired after dedicating their career to horseracing.
Dawn Goodfellow, CEO of Racing Welfare, comments:
We are pleased to have been named official charity partner for QIPCO British Champions Day following an agreement in July and have been working on a number of activities to highlight our work on the day. Not only will it help us to raise vital funds to support racing’s workforce, it also gives us the chance to demonstrate how important the team behind every champion horse is to an audience of enthusiastic, engaged racegoers. As the tragic events of the weekend have shown, there is a small but ever-present risk when working with horses. We in racing owe so much to the staff who provide such amazing care to our racehorses.
Racing Welfare will benefit from promotion around the racecourse throughout the day and a bucket collection on the exits. In addition, Racing Welfare Ambassador Darren Bird – aka Birdie – will be creating a cartoon exhibit in the centre of the Ascot grandstand throughout the afternoon, with the resulting six canvas artworks to be auctioned in aid of Racing Welfare during and after the event. The auction can be accessed online at www.jumblebee.co.uk/BCDAuction