General Manager Daniel Craggs explores the impact of charity partnerships at Huntingdon and Nottingham Racecourse.

As General Manager of both Huntingdon and Nottingham Racecourses, I have the privilege of working across two very different racecourses, each with its own character, history and community. While those communities are different, one thing has become very clear to me: both racecourses are much more than sporting venues. They are places where people come together, create memories and where we have an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the communities around us.

Working together around a shared purpose

At Huntingdon, we’ve worked hard to strengthen that relationship with the local community, most recently through our partnership with Creating Nature’s Corridors. Their work around biodiversity, wellbeing and connecting people with nature has allowed us to think differently about how the racecourse can be used and the role it can play beyond racing. From community volunteering and tree planting to our Mental Health Walks initiative, it has shown me what can be achieved when a racecourse works closely with a local organisation around a shared purpose.

Our partnership with Creating Nature’s Corridors was a finalist for the Racing Foundation Green Award at the 2025 RCA Showcase Awards.

Volunteers planting trees at Huntingdon Racecourse as part of it Creating Nature’s Corridors partnership

Importance place withing sporting city

I want to bring that same approach to Nottingham, while recognising that every community is different. Having taken on responsibility for the racecourse in late April, I’m still getting to know the many organisations and people who make up its community. Nottingham is a fantastic sporting city with a strong identity, and the racecourse has an important place within it. One of my priorities in these early months is to listen, understand what matters to the local community and build on the strong relationships that already exist.

I’ve already been encouraged by the pride that people have in the racecourse and by the willingness of local organisations, charities and businesses to work with us. I believe racecourses have a unique opportunity to open their doors to people from all walks of life, whether through racedays, educational initiatives, charity partnerships, community events or simply by providing a place for people to come together.

When You Wish Upon A Star

One partnership that really reflects those ambitions is our work with When You Wish Upon A Star. The charity does an incredible job of creating magical experiences for children living with life-threatening illnesses and supporting their families through incredibly difficult times. Their focus on creating positive memories and special experiences made the partnership a very natural fit for Nottingham Racecourse.

The partnership has already given us the opportunity to welcome families to the racecourse and included our dedicated charity raceday in June. Those experiences have reinforced for me that community partnerships are about much more than fundraising. Of course, raising money and awareness is hugely important, but so too is giving families the opportunity to enjoy a day together, experience something different and create memories they can take away with them.

Nottingham Racecourse welcomed When You Wish Upon a Star for its dedicated charity raceday in June

We also want to use the racecourse’s profile to help shine a light on the incredible work of When You Wish Upon A Star. Racing brings together a diverse audience of racegoers, owners, trainers, businesses, partners and local organisations, and that gives us a fantastic platform to encourage more people to get involved and support the charity.

Working together to create lasting impact

Looking ahead, I’d like to see our partnership with When You Wish Upon A Star continue to grow, creating even more opportunities for the families they support and encouraging greater involvement from our staff, racegoers, partners and local businesses.

More broadly, my ambition is for Nottingham Racecourse to continue developing its role within the community. My experience at Huntingdon has shown me that the most successful community partnerships are those where both organisations genuinely work together and find ways to create a lasting impact. I want to bring that philosophy to Nottingham while developing initiatives that are right for this community.

The Huntingdon team at a family tree-planting day