Market Rasen’s Clerk, Alice Cosgrove shares how the racecourse is creating opportunities for nearby Springwell Alternative Academy students

I’m Alice Cosgrove, Clerk of the Course at Market Rasen Racecourse, alongside my role as Industry Engagement Executive for The Jockey Club more broadly. While my day-to-day responsibilities don’t directly focus on community engagement, it’s an area I’m passionate about, particularly when it comes to supporting the engagement and development of young people.

I recently attended the Racing Foundation conference, which this year focused on attracting young people to strengthen the industry’s future workforce. I came away feeling inspired and motivated to develop an education partnership scheme, one that would allow us to build meaningful relationships with local schools and support both their work and their students’ personal development.

Different approaches required

As part of this vision, we reached out to Springwell Alternative Academy Lincoln. We were particularly keen to work with them because they specialise in supporting young people who have fallen out of the mainstream education system and benefit from a different approach to learning. We know how powerful a positive experience can be in building confidence and sparking new interests, so we were excited to collaborate on creating a series of behind-the-scenes racecourse visits, among other initiatives such as attending careers fairs, hosting in-school workshops and discounted tickets for parents and teachers.

Inspiring the next generation and creating engaging experiences for those who may not be familiar with horseracing is integral to the sport’s future. That’s why we’ve been working quietly behind the scenes to strengthen and enhance our existing community engagement strategy.

We already host initiatives such as Christmas lunches for local retirees, among other activities, but this time we wanted to place a stronger focus on young people and their connection to the industry.

Students from Springwell Alternative Academy meeting RoR ambassador Hally’s Kitchen

Creating access and opportunity

We want racing to feel accessible in every sense, and opening our doors was key to achieving that.

By showcasing what we do and the facilities we have, we can help broaden horizons, spark new interests, and introduce possibilities that young people may not have previously considered. Just as importantly, it allows us to build positive and lasting relationships with our local community.

Springwell Alternative Academy students enjoy a day behind the scenes at Market Rasen Racecourse

Our aim was for students to leave feeling inspired by what they had seen and learnt, while gaining a better understanding of the wide range of opportunities available within the racing industry.

We wanted to expose them to a variety of roles and activities, each requiring different skill sets and mindsets. It was incredibly rewarding to see how engaged they were and how different aspects of the day resonated with different individuals.

Students taking part in careers workshops as part of their visit to the racecourse

 Racecourses have a unique offering

It’s easy to forget how unique our working environment is, and that it’s not something everyone experiences in their everyday lives. At our racecourses and within our teams, we have access to fantastic facilities and knowledgeable people. We also have brilliant connections to horses themselves, and this is something that we can utilise for the benefit of others.

If we can make the time within our busy schedules to open this world up to others, there’s a real opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting difference in our communities.