British Racecourses Reveal Significant Increase in Community and Charity Commitments

• Over £3.3m fundraised at, and donated by, racecourses to more than 820 community groups and charities in 2024, a 50% increase on the equivalent figure in 2020.
• 3,095 hours volunteered by racecourse personnel
• A minimum of 84,000 tickets pledged to Armed Forces and emergency services workers via Tickets for Troops and Blue Light Tickets

British racecourses have revealed significant community and charity commitments in 2024 as part of the British Racing Social Impact Survey.

The survey asked racecourses to share details of the community engagement work they did in 2024 including fundraising, volunteering, partnerships and donations. The results will provide the RCA with a significant number of best practice case studies to drive further community engagement across its membership and has resulted in a rich pool of data to help with the development of British racing’s inaugural Social Impact Strategy.

In total, through financial donations, on-course fundraising efforts and donations-in-kind, racecourses contributed over £3.3m to more than 820 charities in 2024. £2.2m is comprised of money donated directly by racecourses to charitable causes and funds raised via charity racedays, bucket collections and other on-course fundraising activities. The remaining £1.1m is made up of donations-in-kind such as complimentary tickets, free to use event space and charity auction prizes. The figure represents a 50% increase on the figure recorded in 2020, demonstrating racecourses’ ongoing commitment to making a positive impact in the community.

In addition, 3,095 hours were volunteered by racecourses teams throughout the year, with many of these hours coming on the Racing Together Community Day. Activities included volunteering days for local charities and food banks, local litter picks and assisting with local community projects such as community gardens.  

Standout examples include York racecourse’s long-running Macmillan Charity Raceday, which in 2024 saw in excess of £560,000 raised for the cancer charity, and Cheltenham racecourse’s ongoing development of the Gold Cup Centenary Community Fund which has already seen £150,000 donated to over 30 local community projects and charities. Elsewhere the Ascot Racecourse Supports programme saw 104 members of staff volunteer 582 hours across 16 local charities, and Wetherby Racecourse continued their support of Wetherby in Support of the Elderly including volunteering in their pay as you feel and dementia cafes.

In addition to racecourses’ wide-reaching community work, a minimum of 84,000 tickets were pledged to the charities Tickets for Troops and Blue Light Tickets as a way of racing saying thank you to our armed forces personnel and NHS and emergency service staff. The Blue Light Ticket partnership was established in 2022 and has enable tens of thousands of beneficiaries to enjoy a complimentary day at the races, and accompanies the long-standing partnership between British horseracing and Tickets for Troops. 

Paul Swain, Head of Raceday Experience & Communications at the RCA said: “British racecourses are fundamental, both financially and socially, to their local communities. The results of the latest British racing social impact survey demonstrate this in abundance, with so many fantastic examples of meaningful initiatives across Britain which are instigated by racecourses.

“Racecourses were able to raise £3.3m in the past year, two thirds of which was direct monetary support. Charities of all sizes, both within our sport and externally, are able to benefit from the generosity shown by racecourses, participants and customers. This is despite the well-documented cost of living crisis, which shows little of abating.

“Our sincere thanks to racecourses for continuing to invest in this vital area of support, and we look forward to working closely with our partners at Racing Together and the BHA with the launch of the sport’s new social impact strategy later this year.”