Chelmsford City Racecourse - Commercial Brochure 2020

with the British Horseracing Authority-led Racing Together initiative, which seeks to give something back to the communities in which they operate around the country. From racecourses alone in 2019, 222 staff volunteered for a total of 1,632 hours, with £542,000 donated or fundraised for more than 117 individual charities. Previously the racecourse has been involved in Give and Gain Day, the global day of employee volunteering organised by Business in the Community (BITC). Thousands of people from hundreds of companies took part in the volunteering day as the UK’s only nationally organised day of volunteering. Racing’s contribution to the day has been coordinated by Racing Together, the community engagement strategy for the sport. Chelmsford City Racecourse are proud to support Give and Gain Day and a team from the racecourse has volunteered on several occasions since the opening, assisting charities including Sanctus Chelmsford, Haven’s Hospice and Broomfield Hospital as well as a local parish church. Fraser Garrity, Racecourse Manager at Chelmsford City, said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to put something back into our community. We understand the importance of community engagement and are huge supporters of the Racing Together initiative.” For further information on our charitable activities or to request an application to be considered for support, please contact the racecourse. Year of the Hero Chelmsford City Racecourse’s 2019 initiative Year of the Hero returns for a second year in 2020, this time with the support of regional magazine, Essex Life. The community engagement project aims to recognise outstanding members of the community who give tirelessly to help and care for others in their daily lives. These “heroes” are people within our local area who may not necessarily gain the deserved recognition for their kindness and generosity. The Year of the Hero winner is invited to the racecourse to enjoy a meal in our Fairwood Restaurant for four people, have a race named in their honour, choose the best turned out horse in that race and present the prize to the winning connections. The raceday presenter will be on hand to interview the winner and to extend thanks, on behalf of the racecourse as well as the community, for their actions. Schools & Education Chelmsford City Racecourse welcomes children to every race meeting, especially our dedicated Family Fun Days, which support a number of local schools with their fundraising activities throughout the year with donations of complimentary tickets as raffle and auction prizes throughout the year. The British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust (BHEST) is a charity which supports young people’s learning and development with the aim of encouraging an interest in horseracing as both a leisure activity and as a future career path. “Racing to School” is BHEST’s flagship education programme, providing out of the classroom learning opportunities at racecourses, studs and training yards across the country, for over 10,000 young people every year. Many local schoolchildren benefit from access to this programme at Chelmsford City Racecourse every year. Through the many courses provided by the British Racing School based in Newmarket, we have also been delighted to provide their delegates with a raceday experience to enhance their understanding of the sport. Since opening, the racecourse has welcomed many local groups including Brownies and Scouts, who have thoroughly enjoyed their visits. These have included access to behind the scenes, being taken down to the start and even meeting some the sport’s most prominent jockeys! 2020 INASSOCIATIONWITH 25 COMMERCIAL BROCHURE 2020 | CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE