New online hub showcases how racing is helping 'transform lives'

A new online hub highlighting community projects designed to enhance health, wellbeing and education through collaboration with the British racing industry has been launched.

In the last 18 months more than 40,000 people have been involved in programmes run by racecourses, charities, training yards and a range of other industry bodies, with the Directory, as the hub has been named, showcasing racing’s ability to “transform lives”, according to one of the architects of the project.

Nick Froy, headteacher at Newmarket Academy and chair of the steering group for the Directory, has helped turn around the fortunes of his school in part by forging links with the racing community, including partnering with Godolphin and Racing to School to create the Beacon Project, which provides guidance and pathways to employment within racing and associated industries.

He said: “This Directory shows the power of the racing industry to support its communities and transform lives. Newmarket is a better place for the support, intervention and opportunity of the assets of the racing industry.

“The young people of Newmarket have been exposed to a range of opportunities which have raised their aspiration and ambition, and given them chances to pursue their career dreams.”

Among the Directory’s programmes are schemes allowing people experiencing mental health difficulties or dementia to visit a race meeting, and many activities that have inspired young people struggling with mainstream education.

The Directory, which is available on the Racing Together website and has been funded by Godolphin and the Racing Foundation, maps nationwide activities from over 100 organisations with other groups being encouraged to add their programmes to the hub.

Annamarie Phelps, BHA chair, said: “Many people come to racing for the sport but they stay because of the wider benefits: the social aspects, the friendships they form, the physical and mental wellbeing they get from their involvement with racing’s people and our fabulous horses.

“This Directory is the first of its kind for racing. It will help us understand what is happening already, so that we can work together to align our activities and provide a coherent message about the positive impact of the sport and industry on those it engages with.

“This is just the first phase of a project to recognise the huge positive impact that our people and our horses have on those they interact with and will be valuable to the industry here in the UK and globally to ensure its health and sustainability as we emerge into a new post-Covid future.”

More information on the Directory and the community programmes can be found at racingtogether.co.uk/directory.

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