York Racecourse staff start the year helping their local community

Starting as they no doubt mean to go on, 40 members of staff from York Racecourse volunteered their time to litter pick on the Knavesmire and surrounding area in late January.

Building on the success of their Give and Gain Day – a national initiative to promote volunteering by business – the team decided to join forces and offer their services to help the City of York Council.

The racecourse is committed to playing a positive role within the community, as well as building strong internal connections across their busy departments. The Knavesmire is a much-loved space and the New Year tidy up is a real benefit to all those who use the area, from runners, cyclists and the many dog walkers.

Beki Johnson, Environmental and Community Officer at City of York Council explained the value of the team’s efforts: “Outside of the racing season, the Knavesmire is a public space that falls to the Council, and so Council budgets to look after, so York racecourse volunteering on the wider Knavesmire is a huge help. The time and effort put in will make the area more welcoming to visitors and regular users alike.”

Expect more activity from racecourse staff later in the year in support of another local project. Also, look out for news on the Racing Together Day in the spring, which we hope will involve many racecourses finding ways to give back to their communities.