Beverley Racecourse today announced it is staging a charity takeover race meeting to support the fantastic work of some of the region’s most worthy causes.

Beverley Racecourse has invited five local charities – Cash for Kids, the Daisy Appeal, Dove House Hospice, Hull Homeless Community Project and R-evolution – to take centre stage at The Great Big Beverley Charity Racenight on Tuesday, June 18.

The pioneering race meeting was revealed today on Racing Together Community Day, which showcases British racing’s extensive work supporting the community and good causes outside the industry.

Although Beverley Racecourse has supported many charitable causes in the past, it will be the first time it has organised a dedicated, charity-focused race meeting, with each organisation given a range of benefits to help them raise funds and awareness on the night.

The free assets include 100 Premier Tickets, worth £2,000, to sell and give away for the event; a race named after each charity on the night; the chance to go into the Parade Ring to choose the best turned out horse with their guests and present the trophy afterwards; a half page advert in the racecard; and banner space at the final furlong, Paddock Bar or Parade Ring.

They have also been given stand space to carry out fundraising activities, digital profile via social media and the racecourse website, and charity prizes for corporate hospitality guests, which they can add a percentage to and re-sell, raising additional funds.

Kate McKee, Marketing Manager at Beverley Racecourse, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome all five charities to the first of our three evening meetings of the 2019 season.

“This will be our first race meeting supporting multiple charities, all of which do amazing work in the region.

“Rather than focus on a single charity we’ve decided to support five very worthy causes. We’ve also decided to go all out by effectively devoting the evening to them – it really is their night!

“The assets and opportunities we are making available to the charities are worth thousands of pounds will enable them to turn that into vital funds, while also raising awareness of their good work.

“We hope as many people as possible will join us on the night and support these great causes.”

The charities involved in The Great Big Beverley Charity Racenight offer a range of services and support to vulnerable members of the community or people at some of the most difficult times of their lives.

• Cash for Kids supports sick, disabled and disadvantaged children living in East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire.
• The Daisy Appeal aims to give local people faster, more accurate diagnosis to three of the region’s biggest killers – cancer, heart disease, and dementia.
• Dove House Hospice offers specialist palliative care to adults, which means the total care of patients whose illness is no longer curable and for whom the goal must be quality of life.
• Hull Homeless Community Project supports homeless people, believing that with the right approach, funding, government support and community education, homelessness can end and prevention is the answer.
• Cottingham-based R-evolution aims to develop the skills of disadvantaged people in the local community through accredited training and skills development.

R-evolution has recently joined forces with East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s road safety team, the Refugee Council and Safer Roads Humber on an award-winning refugee cycle project for Syrian refugees who have settled in the East Riding having escaped the civil war in their country.

The 30 refugees are the second group to have been given training in cycling skills and road safety to help them navigate the roads safely and enable them to travel to employment, or education, as they integrate into the community.

They were presented with reconditioned bikes and safety gear, including helmets and hi-visibility vests, last month and will take part in a the Refugee Cycle Challenge ride around Beverley on the day of the racenight, as part of Cycle4life Week, led by the council’s road safety team.

The ride route will finish at the racecourse, where the refugees will receive a welcome party with afternoon tea and enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour.

John Marshall, Chief Executive of R-evolution, said: “We train people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those who are homeless, have mental health problems, physical issues, are long-term unemployed, or are prisoners or ex-offenders.

“We offer a range of training opportunities, including three-month placements in our workshop, where our trainees repair and refurbish donated bikes which we then provide to groups such as local schoolchildren and, in this case, the refugees, through East Riding Council’s refugee cycle project.

“We’re very excited about the racenight and to have a race named after our charity is amazing. We really value Beverley Racecourse’s support, both with the refugee cycle project and the opportunity to raise funds for our charity.

“R-evolution wouldn’t be able to operate if it wasn’t for the strength of our partnerships. This partnership is a great example of organisations coming together to achieve something very special and make a real difference.”

The Great Big Beverley Charity Racenight is the latest example of Beverley Racecourse using innovative ways to support local good causes.

A previous charity event last year saw Beverley Racecourse become the first course in the country to stage a deaf-friendly raceday. The event was designed in partnership with the British Deaf Association (BDA) and earned Beverley the Outstanding Initiative Award at the Racecourse Association (RCA) Showcase & Awards, the Oscars of the racing industry.

Last season Beverley Racecourse also joined forces with Contact the Elderly, a charity dedicated to combating loneliness among older people, to stage a raceday tea party for 80 local elderly people.

Gates open at 4.30pm for The Great Big Beverley Charity Racenight on Tuesday, June 18, with the first race at 6.30pm and the last race at 9pm. For more information, or to book tickets, visit www.beverley-racecourse.co.uk/event/evening-racing/ or call 01482 867488.

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