Racing Together

This free-to-attend webinar explored finalists from the Community Award category at November’s Racecourse Association (RCA) Showcase & Awards. Hear from those closest to the programmes about the why, the how and the impact. The panel was hosted by Matthew Jones from the RCA. Apologies for issues with Debbie's sound in the first half. Meet the Panel: Sarah Drabwell – The Jockey Club (Sandown Park) After a 20-year career in finance, six of those as Finance Director of Epsom, Sandown and Kempton Park, Sarah took the helm of Sandown Park three years ago. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to engage and support the local community, culminating in the launch of the Community Fund for Elmbridge to coincide with Sandown Park’s 150th birthday. This fund provides a focal point for local fundraising and has just made its first awards to four worthy local causes. This initiative earned Sandown Park recognition from the House of Commons, and has also seen profit return to pre-COVID levels, proving that CSR is not a nice to have, but a business fundamental. Sarah is also a Trustee of the British Racing School and is passionate about providing opportunities for young people to achieve their full potential regardless of their background. Debbie Powell – Cotswold Riding for the Disabled Debbie has worked in the equine industry all her life. Having qualified as a British Horse society Intermediate instructor, she went on to manage several equine yards. Teaching, Schooling, and competing for several people up to advance in dressage. Debbie is currently the General Manager at Cotswold Riding for the Disabled, based at Cheltenham Racecourse and is now in her 15th year working for them. Grant Rowley – The Jockey Club Grant Rowley is the Strategic Communications Lead for Jockey Club Racecourses. Grant joined The Jockey Club in 2014 after spending three years working as Communications Manager at Liverpool FC where his responsibilities included promoting the Club’s community engagement activity through the Liverpool FC Foundation and managing First Team and Academy player appearances. Grant has led the communications for several Grand National and Cheltenham Festivals and set up The Aintree Community Programme, which has been fortunate to win the ‘Racing Together Community Award’ four times. He is now focussed on delivering the social impact strategy for all racecourses across The Jockey Club and leading on welfare communications as well. Grant has a passion for using sport for the good and enjoys watching and playing all sports, as well as being an avid Liverpool FC fan.

Due to a technical error the first minute of this recording is missing - apologies for any inconvenience caused. This free-to-attend webinar explored the latest news in British racing’s community engagement, social impact and beyond. The panel was hosted by Racing Media Academy graduate Luca Brooks- Edwards. An expert panel reflected on 2025 activity, including the sport’s new Social Impact Strategy, emerging research and industry-leading fundraising and charity partnerships. Meet the Panel: Juliet Redfern With over 34 years of experience in the equine insurance industry, Juliet has spent the past 17 years leading Markel’s Equine and Livestock team, managing a global portfolio covering bloodstock, breeding, sport horses, and farm liability policies. Juliet also serves as Chair of the Lloyd’s Equine Panel, representing specialist underwriters at Lloyd’s, and is a Trustee of the Injured Jockeys Fund, reflecting her commitment to the racing and equestrian community. John Baker John is Chief Executive of Newton Abbot Racecourse and a Trustee of Racing to School, Chairing the Racing Together Subcommittee. As former Managing Director of Aintree Racecourse, he oversaw the development of Aintree’s award-winning community programme, including its partnership with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Aintree Beacon Project with Racing to School. He is passionate about using racing’s platform to drive positive community impact and inspire young people through education. Tom Baker Tom is currently the Head of Social Impact at the BHA and has been tasked with developing a social impact strategy for the horseracing industry. Prior to this Tom spent a year as the Head of Social Investment and Public Affairs at The Jockey Club where he helped to enhance and focus the community engagement activity across the group. A lifelong racing fan, Tom previously spent over a decade working in Olympic and Paralympic sport where he most recently developed a social impact and environmental sustainability strategy for Olympic and Paralympic sport in the UK – helping over 50 sports and over 1,000 athletes find their unique role in addressing social and environmental issues and opportunities. Daniel O’Sullivan Dan is currently the Head of Programme Delivery at the BHA and has been leading on Project Beacon which is British racing’s most in depth piece of customer research to date. It has gathered the views of the British public in order to help the sport develop a customer strategy based on a deep understanding of our fans, both present and future. Prior to this Dan spent 25 years leading business change and transformation programmes across a variety of sectors. As a lifelong fan, he completed the Thoroughbred Horseracing Industries MBA at the University of Liverpool Management School to facilitate moving into working in the industry. Host: Luca Brooks-Edwards Host Luca Brooks-Edwards is a recent graduate of the Racing Media Academy and works as a Digital Account Manager at CEM Media which supports Raceday TV. Passionate about the sport and its future, Luca is keen to use his platform as a young professional in racing to help inspire others and highlight opportunities for the next generation to get involved in the industry. About Racing Together Webinars These popular, free online events for industry professionals focus on a range of community topics discussed by a panel of thought-leaders in their respective fields, both from inside and outside the sport. Racing Together brings together voices to highlight how racing is working collaboratively to deliver community engagement and create social impact. This episode will discuss a range of new and growing initiatives, why they were created and how they came to life in partnership with charities and local communities.

All roads lead to the racing’s largest volunteering effort – Racing Together Community Week This episode was a conversation to discuss the huge benefits of getting involved with this year’s Racing Together Community Week, taking place from 5th–11th May. This episode showcased the power of racing to give back and inspire action nationwide. Our expert panellists shared how their organisations have embraced employee volunteering and how others can get involved, no matter their size or resources. Meet the Panel: – Andrea O’Keeffe – Andrea has been instrumental in developing long-term community partnerships and volunteering action at Jedd O’Keeffe Racing. Through her roles as a Trustee with Racing to School, and working for the British Horseracing Authority and New Beginnings, Andrea has a broad view on the power of racing to help local communities, charities and effective education initiatives. Her insights and passion will help organisations plan to make an impact that lasts beyond this week. – John Gilbert – As Chief Executive of The Racing Centre in Newmarket, John brings a wealth of experience in community outreach and impact, as well as working in partnership with local businesses, charities and schools. John will share community-led examples to showcase how identifying local need and working collaboratively can create lasting change. – Charlotte Russell – General Manager for Go Racing in Yorkshire, Charlotte connects all nine Yorkshire racecourses across a number of initiatives, including community activity and social impact. Their RCA Community award-winning Bowel Cancer Screening Initiative is one of their programmes, and Charlotte coordinates volunteering activity in the region as part of Community Week. The session was hosted by Racing Together, with practical advice and examples of successful projects. Community Week is racing’s national celebration of giving back, with racecourses, yards, charities, and businesses coming together to support their communities through volunteering, fundraising, educational outreach and more. Over 80 organisations engaged with this initiative last year. Lucy Gurney, Community Engagement Manager at Racing Together, said: “This year’s Racing Together Community Week looks set to be another record-breaking year for participation and impact in local communities. It is wonderful to see racing organisations’ enthusiasm to get involved and identifying new and existing charity partners with whom to complete projects in their local area.” Now is the time to get involved Whether you’re planning your first activity or looking to grow your impact from past years, this episode is your opportunity to learn more, test out your ideas and ensure the Racing Together team is fully behind your efforts next month. Register now and start planning your Community Week activity: https://www.racingtogether.co.uk/events/racing-together-community-day/

The expert panel discussed the innovative approach of racecourses nationwide to create positive impact in their communities. The panel is hosted by the Racecourse Association’s Matthew Jones with racecourse representatives contributing to the discussion. Panellists formed part of the recent Racecourse Association Showcase & Awards judging process competing in the sought-after Community Award category, won by Go Racing in Yorkshire. Join us at Racing Together Industry Day to hear from General Manager Charlotte Russell to hear more about their Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. This episode discussed the motivation behind these initiatives, why they were created and how they came to life in partnership with charities and the local community. Meet the Panel Lewis Donnovan Lewis is the Marketing Campaign Manager for Sandown Park and Kempton Park. Lewis has worked in the racing industry for eight years and has worked for some of the industry’s biggest brands. Starting his career at Goodwood Racecourse, before moving to British Champions Series and now The Jockey Club, Lewis has been involved in shaping the customer journey and experience at fixtures such as Glorious Goodwood, Champions Day and the Derby. Lewis also works on community initiatives too. Lewis is a Jump racing fan at heart, and the Tingle Creek Festival is his favourite fixture of the year. Jonathan Garratt Jonathan is the Managing Director at Kelso Racecourse. His extensive racecourse management experience encompasses work at Kelso, Cartmel, Worcester and Fontwell Park Racecourses plus central administration with Scottish Racing. During his time at Kelso, Jonathan has led the team to success in the RCA Showcase Awards, most recently winning the public-voted Racing Post Readers’ Award in 2024. Beyond Kelso, Jonathan represents all Small Independent Racecourses as a Director on the RCA Board. Blaithin Murphy Blaithin is General Manager of Wincanton Racecourse, starting as a Customer Relationship Management Executive in 2022 before accepting a place on The Jockey Club’s Trainee General Manager programme. Blaithin held hands-on roles in thoroughbred studs and training yards whilst completing her degree in Equine Science and a Masters in Business Management. She has been involved in equine sports all her life, but horse racing has always been at the forefront and she is passionate about making racing more accessible and reaching new audiences. Blaithin is also a former Women in Racing committee member. Vhari Russell Vhari Russell is an entrepreneur who runs The Food Marketing Experts a full-service PR, Marketing and social media agency working in the food and drink industry. Vhari has also created Creating Nature Corridors, which is on a mission to help plant 10,000 trees and hedging plants in the UK and Ireland every year. The charity was started after she lost her brother aged 37 to sudden adult death syndrome. The charity was created to create a legacy that Rory was not able to. The charity has been working for three years and in that time has planted over 32,000 trees and hedging plants in 44 sites. Vhari worked with the team at Huntingdon Racecourse on their recent biodiversity and flood defence improvement project. Sign up to hear about future episodes via the Racing Together website.

Host: Sally Lyons (GBR) Panellists: Richard Phillips (Trainer and NRW founder), Fr33dom Zampaladus (Urban Equestrian Academy), Birte Bauer and David Futter (Norton Farm Stud), Kevin and Pam Atkinson (New Beginnings) and Louise Robson (Thoroughbred Dressage)

Racing's national day of volunteering is fast-approaching, this year taking place on Thursday 25th May. This episode runs through the many benefits of volunteering, and provides some inspiring ideas from our panellists. Panellists: Eleanor Boden Chief Executive, Scottish Racing Academy Eleanor is responsible for the development and management of the Scottish Racing Academy provision, the teams as well as key education and industry partners. Eleanor's main focus is to enhance recruitment strategies and employer engagement. Eleanor is involved in a multitude of industry-wide initiatives due to her enthusiasm for inclusion, diversity, teaching and learning. In 2022, Eleanor and the Scottish Racing team won the Racecourse Association Community Award for their initiative during Racing Together Community Day last May. John Gilbert Chief Executive, The Racing Centre John is South African born-and-bred with a passion for conservation and previous roles at the African Conservation Trust and South Africa's largest oil producer, Sasol. John met his wife within the horseracing community in South Africa, moving to the UK in 2014 where he worked as a data analyst, then setting up a commercial cleaning company, before joining the Racing Centre in 2018. The Racing Centre is an inclusive community hub in the heart of Newmarket that heroes racing and stud staff but welcomes and supports the entire community. John is also Trustee of Newmarket Open Door, an important local charity that was formed from a Churches Together initiative when a group of people wanted to do something more about homelessness in the district. John plays an important role coordinating volunteering activity in Newmarket as part of Racing Together Community Day. Find out more about The Racing Centre. Karen Pengilley CEO, Kate's Home Nursing Kate’s Home Nursing is a Cotswolds-based charity, employing registered nurses to care for people in their own homes through the last stage of illness and offering support for families. Karen worked for many years for a global IT company providing software for the airline industry, where one of her better-known projects was the worldwide introduction of electronic ticketing. Karen joined the charity part-time to help out with administration, and her role developed to CEO over the next few years. Kate's Home Nursing was a beneficiary of Racing Together Community Day activity last year. Find out more about Kate's Home Nursing here. Find out more and get involved at: https://www.racingtogether.co.uk/racing-together-community-day/

Meet The Panel James Crespi General Manager l Epsom Racecourse James spent ten years on the Goodwood Estate building the Festival of Speed and Revival Meeting, two of the world’s largest motor sport events. He then progressed to become General Manager of Goodwood Racecourse where he was involved in developing the course and facilities to produce a world class venue. As Chief Operating Officer for the West Wittering Estate, a visitor attraction and conservation area attracting over a million people per year, James led the organisation through major periods of change including several joint ventures and projects in conjunction with the local community, authorities and organisations. In 2022 James retuned to racing as General Manager of Epsom Downs Racecourse overseeing the Derby and looking to increase local community engagement activity. Naomi Howgate Head of Diversity and Inclusion l BHA Naomi is currently Head of Diversity and Inclusion at the British Horse Racing Authority. Her work includes supporting the BHA with internal policies and programmes whilst also looking at the whole racing landscape to create a more diverse and inclusive sport. She has had a varied career that includes roles in both the charity and corporate sector and in 2017 had the opportunity to combine her love of horses with her job when she took on a role managing Ebony Horse Club in London. The organisation uses horses and youth work to improve the life chances of young people. Here she explored her interest in the human/ horse connection, seeing the impact that riding, horse interaction and therapeutic work could have on these youngsters. She sits on the Welfare Committee for Racing Welfare and is a Trustee of the White Stuff Foundation and was recently appointed to the Board of the British Equestrian Federation. Maddy Playle Journalist l Racing Post Originally from Leicestershire and a non-racing background, Maddy fell in love with the sport from an early age and has worked for the Racing Post since 2017. Her role as a digital journalist encompasses both print and digital media, while she also hosts her own video series "Maddy Meets" in which she interviews some of the sport's leading players. Maddy writes columns for both the Racing Post and its sister publication the Weekender, and her role also involves managing the Racing Post's website and app. She is a regular guest on RacingTV's Luck On Sunday and as a keen tipster and follower of racing across the globe, has a considerable social media following. Hosted by Dani Jackson Dani is a Freelance Broadcaster, TV Presenter & Commentator and previously spent a decade at William Hill Bookmakers learning how to broadcast in a live, fast-paced environment. Along the way she developed a passion for commentating – firstly on greyhounds – and is gunning to be the first female racecourse commentator in the UK. Since July 2022, Dani has embarked on a freelance career and regularly presents William Hill Racing Radio, Racing Post Greyhound TV, “Gone To The Dogs” podcast and even dabbles in music at North Derbyshire Radio. Alongside these ventures, you will regularly spot her on a racecourse practicing commentating. Dani went over to the States last year to commentate at Turf Paradise, Arizona. She clearly made an impression as she’s due to go back yearly for experience, and to fill in for their regular announcer. This also opened the door to being the first woman to commentate on a racecourse at Newbury as part of their Female Commentary Initiative. Dani has a passion for passing on her knowledge of live broadcasting and commentating.

Join us for series two episode two in the Racing Together Webinar Series. Meet The Panel: Andrew Braithwaite CEO l British Racing School Andrew joined the BRS in 2014 as Finance Director and in the time since has played a crucial role in the school’s rapid development. Alongside his financial skills, his leadership and vision have seen his remit stretched well beyond what is usually delivered by the incumbent of such a role. He has been fundamental to the development of both the industry’s jockey coaching programme and The Riding A Dream Academy and is co-founder of the Newmarket Pony Academy. A lifelong racing fan, Braithwaite was a prolific point-to-point jockey in his younger years and spent time working as stable staff for Clive Brittan, Mary Reveley and William Haggas before graduating from Reading University with a degree in economics. He went on to qualify as an accountant with KPMG. In 2017 Braithwaite completed the Horseracing Industry MBA and earlier this year, his community endeavours saw him a finalist in the prestigious Community Award category at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. Hannah Henn Graduate l Racing Media Academy Hannah is a former stable lass, point-to-point jockey, Racing Media Academy graduate and full-time mum, currently working with Equine Productions as a Media Manager. Hannah’s job role includes assisting with the day-to-day organisation of shoots and editing schedules, as well as helping the camera team on location and the edit team in post-production. Outside of work, Hannah can be found in the countryside, helping on the farm and taking part in all country sport pursuits. Hannah is a keen mountain biker, motorsports enthusiast and painter. Bolupe Omisore Graduate l BHA Development Scheme Bolupe is a recent graduate in International Sports Management, completing the British Horseracing Authority Development Programme earlier this year, and worked at Newbury Racecourse as a personal assistant to the CEO and finance director working on different commercial activities. Since then, Bolupe has been the sustainability adviser to one of the best training yards in the country. Bolupe has a passion for sports and enjoys being around sporting environments and currently works part-time with Watford Football Club in the hospitality team and working with the club’s corporate clients. Bolupe has also held roles with Transport for London, and has a BA degree in International Relations and Politics from the University of Kent. Dominique Tortice Racing Home Lead l Women in Racing Dominique has worked within the racing industry for 20 years, in that time she has had various roles. She is passionate about horseracing and continues to ride out on a regular basis. More recently, Dominique has taken office roles in the industry at the National Association of Racing Staff on their education programmes and now within the British Horseracing Authority’s integrity team. Dominique is passionate about helping racing staff to succeed and her voluntary role on the Women in Racing committee has allowed her to support women through the Racing Home programme, which focusses on identifying issues around parenthood support and implementing solutions, such as the Post-Pregnancy Return to Riding Rehabilitation programme. Hosted by Hannah Baycroft Hannah is a professional dancer and freelance presenter based in North London. Since training at performing arts college, Hannah has presented for Virgin Games as a chat show host and now mixes her presenting career with her passion for horseracing. https://www.racingtogether.co.uk/resources/webinars/

Join us for series two episode one in the Racing Together Webinar Series. Meet The Panel: S2 E1 Chris James l Director of External Affairs l Motor Neurone Disease Association Chris joined the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association in September 2013 and has worked in the voluntary sector for over 25 years. As Director of External Affairs, Chris has responsibility for the Association’s Communications, Policy, Campaigning and VIP management functions. In his spare time, Chris is a keen runner and has completed a few marathons and half-marathons for the MND Association. Gary Stannett l CEO l Rio Ferdinand Foundation Gary is a senior professional with extensive experience of developing and leading multi-million pound international charities and working with partners from the corporate, statutory and policy sectors since 1997. A qualified youth worker and sports coach, Gary received an MBE for services to young people in 2009 and took over as CEO in 2019. Ricky Reynolds l Head of Community Development l Marylebone Cricket Club Ricky’s role involves enhancing community engagement and developing long-lasting partnerships with key stakeholders in the local community to Lord’s Cricket Ground. Working across themes of employment & education, health & wellbeing, inclusion & cohesion alongside promoting cricket and increasing participation, particularly, in less advantaged members of the local community. Prior to this role Ricky was a Community Coach for Lord’s Cricket Ground. Kelly Smith l Head of Data and Insight l Sport for Development Coalition Kelly co-ordinates engagement and consultation with Sport for Development Coalition supporters and sector stakeholders, as well as supporting the delivery of events and activities that contribute to the SFDC’s advocacy. She also supports on the impact pillar of the Coalition’s business plan through the collation of data, research and resources to assist Sport for Development organisations in demonstrating their impact. Prior to joining the Coalition, Kelly worked as an Evaluation and Learning Consultant at inFocus Consulting. In this role she undertook numerous research and evaluation projects as well as M&E capacity building activities for organisations within the Sport for Development sectors and the wider charity sector. Kelly is a co-founder of ‘Run the Bases’, a Sport for Development project focused on empowering girls and young women, and she has worked and volunteered in a number of different Sport for Development organisations in the UK and internationally. The panel will be hosted by Racing Together CEO John Blake. Find out more and sign up for future episodes live here: https://www.racingtogether.co.uk/resources/webinars/

Join our expert panel hosted by TV Presenter and Freelance Journalist Sally Ann Grassick to explore how racehorses can help people, and the suitability of ex-racehorse for equine-assisted therapy. Meet the Panel Host: Sally Ann Grassick Sally Ann is a TV Presenter and Freelance Journalist, a keen Racing to School Ambassador and founder of Thoroughbred Tales, a social media channel dedicated to showcasing racing stories from those behind-the-scenes. Jennifer Barker Racing to Relate co-founder Jennifer Barker is a law graduate from the University of Warwick, passionate about Thoroughbreds she has advocated for off-track Thoroughbred welfare across the professional industry for many years. Jennifer worked collaboratively with a steering group including Aga Khan Studs, Godolphin and France Galop to set up France’s leading Thoroughbred retraining organisation, Au-Delà des Pistes. She went on to become a certified Equine Specialist in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Therapy and assisted in research at Shumbashaba in Diepsloot, South Africa where she met and joined forces with Dr. Anna Buckingham. Racing to Relate has since pioneered an international-first in a collaborative research PhD with the University of Bristol (UOB) entitled, The Selection and Education of Former Racehorses (Thoroughbreds) for Equine Assisted Therapy: Developing the Evidence Base for a Global Standard. Jo Foster Jo is a racehorse trainer based in the Yorkshire Dales. As part of National Racehorse Week she took a racehorse and shetland pony to care homes, residential homes and a local primary and grammar school. For the last four years her yard has been involved in 14-16-year-old apprenticeships. They offer opportunities to young people who are struggling at school with an interest in animals, and they have experienced excellent results for both the yard and the young people involved. Quailyn Gayadeen Growing up in Trinidad around horses, Quai developed a love of all things equine from an early age, and has a long association with Ebony Horse Club. Her children were members, with her elder son Aidan having been privileged enough to be chosen to ride for the Duchess of Cornwall for the opening of the centre on 2011. She was the Treasurer of Friends of Ebony Horse Club, prior to joining the Board in 2015 with a background in both Finance and Education. She has been a local resident and Community Advocate for 20+ years and is currently a Foundation Governor at St Helen’s R.C. primary school, Brixton. It is with great pride she is associated with a fully inclusive riding centre serving the Coldharbour Ward, offering respite and freedom to disadvantaged children such as Young Carers, which fosters belonging and promotes life-changing development. Alex Shaw Alex is the Education & Wellbeing Lead at Greatwood Charity, which was the first charity to use former racehorses to educate disadvantaged children and young adults with Special Educational Needs. With a background in teaching mainstream further education, he now combines his knowledge of animal science and a MSc in mindfulness to deliver bespoke alternative education programmes to learners that don’t thrive in mainstream education, for whatever reason. He has a particular interest in improving and increasing engagement of mental health awareness and support, especially in men and under-represented racial and ethnic groups. Alex was involved when charities Greatwood and Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) worked with the Racing Together to deliver a pilot programme at OSJCT Coombe End Court care home in Marlborough, Wiltshire. The six-week pilot programme aimed to develop and measure the benefits of introducing former racehorses to the residents of the care home.

Join our expert panel hosted by TV Presenter and Freelance Journalist Sally Ann Grassick as they explore how we can engage racing’s next generation of fans, racegoers and staff. They highlight some of the challenges as well as exciting initiatives designed to broaden the sport’s appeal. Meet the Panel Host: Sally Ann Grassick Sally Ann is a TV Presenter and Freelance Journalist. A keen Racing to School Ambassador and founder of Thoroughbred Tales, a social media channel dedicated to showcasing racing stories from those behind-the-scenes. Elaine Burke Elaine Burke, Industry Education and Training Co-ordinator for HRI’s equuip department, comes from a Tipperary family involved in racing. Equuip is all about attracting people into the industry and setting out different pathways for them to progress. Elaine says: “You don’t have to come from a racing background to work in the industry and I think that is a really important message. We cover everything from how to attract new entrants to racing, encourage current staff with upskilling and training, and support trainers to sustain employees. There are all kinds of programmes offering mental health first aid, financial assistance, education on people welfare, career paths.” Arvin Chadee A recent graduate of both the National Horseracing College and the Godolphin Flying Start programme, Arvin’s interest in racing started as a child visiting Epsom Downs for the Derby meeting with his dad. Samantha Martin Juggling school alongside a developing journalism career, Samantha writes for Rein It In Racing and Careers in Racing, and is an ambassador for Go Racing Green. Tim Williams Tim is Producer/Editor of BAFTA-winning ITV Racing and The Opening Show. He was a Sport Industry NextGen Leader in 2020 and sits on the Racing Together Subcommittee. Tim has worked for ITV Racing since shortly before its launch at the start of 2017, as a producer and programme editor. This year ITV will show over 100 days of live free-to-air racing, as well as The Opening Show every Saturday morning and throughout major festivals. During the pandemic, Tim coordinated projects such as ‘Owners on Zoom’, ‘Home Schooling’, ‘Reliant on Racing’ and the Sunday Series. Prior to working at ITV, he worked as a news journalist for Sky News and Sky Sports News. Find out more at https://www.racingtogether.co.uk/

Join our expert panel, hosted by racing broadcaster Rishi Persad to explore how accessible racing is already as a sport, and examine if it is possible and feasible to be accessible to everyone. Our panellists will engage in a wide-ranging discussion, talking about current initiatives and what being accessible really means. Meet the Panel: Rory Palmer, Racing Together Subcommittee Member Rory is a former Labour Member of European Parliament and is currently Senior Policy, Public Affairs & Campaigns Manager at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Prior to becoming MEP, Rory was Deputy City Mayor in Leicester, and a city councillor for ten years. He has significant experience across local government and has served on a range of regional and national bodies. He was a Board Member for the hugely successful 2009 Special Olympics National Summer Games. He is a member of the Advisory Council of the Sports Think Tank, a trustee of a local food bank and was recently elected to the Executive Committee of the Fabian Society. Rory has had a keen interest in racing since his childhood and now enjoys days out at the races with his young family. Rory is a member of the Diversity in Racing Steering Group. Anna Sylvester, Manager Newmarket Pony Academy The Newmarket Pony Academy, based at the British Racing School, is a new community project designed to use horses and ponies to positively effect mental health and wellbeing for children in Newmarket. Despite being the headquarters of racing, Newmarket does not offer affordable access to children to learn, ride or look after these animals. Children see horses around Newmarket town and surrounding areas every day and the Newmarket Pony Academy is giving them access to horses, as well as valuable life skills under Anna’s supervision. Part of Anna’s role involves supporting the Khadijah Mellah Riding A Dream Academy, which focusses on providing access to racing for young people from urban areas. David Letts, Chair of Racing With Pride and a member of the Industry’s Diversity in Racing Steering Group A graduate of the British Horseracing Authority’s Development Scheme, David’s subsequent Thoroughbred Horseracing Industries MBA dissertation explored LGBT+ inclusion in British racing. David is currently undertaking a PhD to further develop the findings. Luke Howard, Community Accessibility Co-ordinator Arsenal in the Community Luke has been involved at Arsenal since 2011 in a variety of roles. Since 2014 he has been in charge of Arsenal in the Community’s Disability engagement programmes and then evolving the role to ensure accessibility standards across the entire football club. Luke has a passion for inclusivity and have a specific interest in Autism and other sensory processing needs, and sits on the steering group of Autism in Racing. Arsenal Football Club aims to transform the lives of young people through a variety of projects funded through The Arsenal Foundation. The Arsenal Foundation is a fundraising and grant-making organisation designed to grow the reach and effect of the programmes the Club supports to help an increasing number of young people across the globe fulfil their potential and help their communities thrive. The main focus of the work is through education projects, an area where Arsenal has made a difference over many years with community-led and charitable initiatives that motivate and engage young people using the power of the Arsenal name.

Join our expert panel, hosted by racing broadcaster Hayley Moore to reflect back on racing’s community response to Covid-19, and to explore what it taught us about the power of sport to help others. Our panellists cover the experiences of football, racing and racecourses – and the powerful impact that community and charity support can have on communities. Meet the Panel: Mike Evans, CEO EFL Trust Mike has worked at the EFL Trust for 12 years since its inception. The EFL Trust is the charitable arm of the English Football League (EFL) and was established in 2008 to oversee the remarkable and diverse work of EFL’s Club Community Organisations (CCOs). Its vision is ‘Stronger, Healthier, More Active Communities.’ EFL Trust uses the power of the Club badge to reach into communities and deliver a wide range of initiatives, focusing on improving health and wellbeing; raising aspirations and realising potential and building stronger, more cohesive communities. Their network engages with over 880,000 participants and invests over £59m in communities every year. Annamarie Phelps CBE OLY, British Horseracing Authority Chair Annamarie was appointed Chair of the British Horseracing Authority in 2019. She is Vice-Chair of the British Olympic Association and is a former Olympic rower. She was awarded a CBE for her services to rowing in 2016. At the 2021 European Rowing General Assembly, Annamarie was elected to become the new Chair of European Rowing. She ran a half marathon to raise funds for Racing Welfare earlier this year. Paul Swain, Raceday Experience & Communications Manager at the Racecourse Association Paul is the Raceday Experience & Communications Manager at the Racecourse Association (RCA) having joined in 2012 from the British Horseracing Authority’s Graduate Development Programme. Paul oversees the RCA’s award-winning raceday experience programme and manages all internal and external communications for the representative body of all British Racecourses. He is also the RCA’s Diversity & Inclusion lead executive. Paul has played a leading role in a number of the sport’s notable initiatives relating to people and welfare, including Racing Together, Autism in Racing and the national Sunflower Lanyard Scheme. Jon Yates, CEO Berkshire Community Foundation Before joining Berkshire Community Foundation in 2019, Jon had 12 years’ experience in Community Foundations serving as Development Director at Wiltshire Community Foundation and Chief Executive at Dorset Community Foundations. Jon was made joint CEO in September 2020. Berkshire Community Foundation is a charity that works across Berkshire to raise, then distribute, money directly to vital local causes. They ensure that any form of philanthropy, whether from an individual or an organisation, brings greatest benefit to those most in need in local communities. They are part of a wider membership organisation for 47 UK community foundations; the only national network of charitable funders with a physical presence in every part of the UK.

Racing Together is pleased to launch its first series, designed to start and accelerate conversations on some key community engagement and education topics. The interactive sessions will be led by a host and feature a guest panel from across and outside horseracing. In partnership with the sport’s eLearning platform Racing2Learn many of the topics covered can be further explored through their courses. Episode 1: During Safer Gambling Week, we ask: can racing’s reliance on betting be part of our conversations with young people? Host: Panel:

Racing Together is pleased to launch its first series, designed to start and accelerate conversations on some key community engagement and education topics. The interactive sessions will be led by a host and feature a guest panel from across and outside horseracing. In partnership with the sport’s eLearning platform Racing2Learn many of the topics covered can be further explored through their courses. Episode 2: Charities, heroes and heartstrings: all in a day’s racing Join host Rosie Tapner and our expert panel as they explore racing’s power and opportunity to help others through fundraising, profile-raising and understanding how beneficiaries can connect with the sport in a positive way. Host: Panel

Call for progression on racial equality at British Racing’s first collective conversation about racism Over 250 people from horseracing and associated industries engaged with the first ‘Let’s Talk About Race’ webinar on Wednesday 10th November, where Royal Ascot winning trainer Suzy Smith and cricketing legend Michael Holding called for more action on tackling race and racial equality within British racing. This podcast is the audio version of the webinar. Led by award-winning broadcaster Nick Luck, the panel was also joined by Shereen Daniels, an advocate for anti-racism in business and Managing Director of HR re-wired and Tony Langham, non-executive Chairman of Great British Racing and the British Champions Series and co-founder of leading reputation management and corporate communications firm, Lansons. The free 90-minute online event, organised by the Diversity in Racing Steering Group, focused on providing an educational insight and a collective conversation on racism and how racing can progress this area. Michael highlighted the importance of more education on black history and the significant achievements by black people within global history, and not just focussing on the white narrative. He also explained the meaning of ‘white privilege’ saying: “White privilege means that white people do not have the problem of overcoming a dark skin. Because of the colour of my skin people form an immediate impression of me, I have experienced this, someone once came up to me at the Epsom Derby when I was standing by a lift, dressed in my top hat and tails, asking for directions automatically thinking I was working there. However, it doesn’t mean white people don’t have challenges, all people do, but they don’t have to overcome the obstacle of having a dark skin before they even start their journey.” The gap between horseracing’s actual behaviour and what is our perceived behaviour was challenged by Suzy Smith: “British racing has a diverse workforce, but people will not stay in the sport if our understanding of racism and behaviours around race are not improved. People of colour are particularly represented in our yards, but what message is it giving to them when as a sport we have not addressed anything since the murder of George Floyd. Forget about bringing people into horseracing, I worry that our silence has affected the people we already have.” Reputation expert Tony Langham added: “The reputation business is about correct behaviour and it’s not about looking good it’s about being authentic and real. To have a great reputation, organisations must meet the expectations of society, and these are to try and save the planet and running inclusive and diverse workplaces. There clearly should be representation at board level of people of colour and currently horseracing is lacking here. We all need to take action in racing to achieve this.” Shereen Daniels spoke on progressing racial diversity on a corporate level: “The first thing is to start with is the board and ensuring it’s diverse and that its culture can bring about change and it can filter down through a business. When it comes to board representation, I don’t want to see black faces in white spaces, I want to know they have got budget responsibilities, they have a P&L to look after and can make decisions because of their capabilities.” She concluded that understanding each other and our experiences was a crucial first step for all of us. “None of us like to be made to feel like “other” and we all have a role in making everyone feel included.” Next Steps The Diversity in Racing Steering Group will be launching a Diversity and Inclusion e-learning module on the BHA’s Racing2Learn platform at the end of the year. This joins the LGBT+ module and will provide a valuable opportunity for anyone in racing to learn more on key issues related to Diversity and Inclusion.