Aintree Community Programme lands a fourth Showcase Award

Aintree’s Community Programme scooped the Racing Together Community Award for a fourth time at last night’s RCA Showcase & Awards, hosted at Hamilton Park Racecourse.

Grant Rowley and Jess Dalgliesh who are key drivers behind the programme collected the award from Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Employee of the Year Catriona Bissett and ITV Racing’s Chris Hughes.

The Aintree Community Programme aims through the power of horseracing and the Grand National to inspire children and adults alike to be the best they can be. The Programme has a structure to ensure it focusses on the important issues in the community and it helps to create a positive feeling about the racecourse in giving something back. Key areas of focus include: health and wellbeing, education and enterprise and community engagement.

Grant Rowley, Regional Communications Manager for The Jockey Club North West said: “It means a lot to everybody at the racecourse. Community engagement is part of our DNA. We’re lucky enough to work on the Grand National and we feel we have a responsibility to look after and protect its legacy and Aintree Community Programme is a big part of that”.

Aintree fought off stiff competition from Beverley, Ascot and Scottish Racing, all of whom made the shortlist.

Showcase Champions

Pontefract Racecourse was crowned Showcase Champions at the tenth annual awards. As well as being named overall Showcase Champion, Pontefract’s Guinness World Record-winning Uniquely Yorkshire raceday wowed the judges in the Events category by creating the world’s biggest image of a whippet made up of racegoers.

Norman Gundill MBE, Managing Director of Pontefract Racecourse, commented: “We are thrilled to be named as the Showcase Champion Racecourse. To have been named as Champion by a panel of expert judges and amongst our peers means the world.

“I believe that with Pontefract winning the Champion accolade it shows that any racecourse can achieve great things with the right mindset. We’re a proud member of Go Racing in Yorkshire and strive to give our customers the best day out possible. My thanks must go to my incredible team.

“Of all the awards the racecourse has won during my tenure, this certainly means the most. It’s an evening we will never forget.”

Scottish Racing collects Diversity & Inclusion Award

Scottish Racing won the first Diversity & Inclusion Award for their partnership with William Hill in support of Alzheimer Scotland. The partnership has seen 310 William Hill shops in Scotland support the charity, while Scottish racecourses trained raceday team members as Dementia Friends.

Eleanor Boden, Community Engagement Manager for Scottish Racing said: “We are delighted that the partnership has proved so successful. The initiative was inspired by my nan whose dementia diagnosis means she can’t always enjoy her passions anymore. The message is of inclusion, everybody is welcome racing regardless of age or diagnosis. We are delighted to announce a fundraising total of £25,000 this evening.”