A record Summer Term for Racing to School

Over 300 year 5 students in colourful racing silks pose for a photograph on the stands.

Over 300 pupils enjoyed a day at the races.

It may have been a wet and damp start to the summer but this hasn’t stopped the charity’s delivery team from achieving their busiest June ever.

The team has now delivered 279 events supporting the learning of 9,936 young people, including unforgettable visits to the Royal Stud and Tweenhills Stud in addition to our racecourse activity days right across Britain.

Our Under Starter’s Orders Programme finale last month saw over 300 Year 5 pupils from Newmarket enjoy a day at the races. The raceday was the culmination of the three part programme which sees pupils also visit Dalham Hall Stud and the National Horseracing Museum. We are already looking forward to next year’s tenth anniversary of this popular programme, which is funded by Newmarket Racecourses, Jockey Club Estates and Godolphin.

Derek ‘Tommo’ Thompson shares Sir Peter’s passion for commentary and the sport with pupils during the first Sir Peter O’Sullevan Programme day at Fakenham in 2018.

 

Celebrating the long-standing support of The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust

In 2018, the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Racing to School Programme launched at Fakenham. The initiative began with a series of 24 racecourse activity days delivered nationwide with the aspiration to inspire learning and a love of the sport so dear to Sir Peter.

Fast forward and a total of 160 days at racecourses have taken place, engaging over 5,500 young minds.

The Programme has opened up the art of racecourse commentary to pupils who often had the chance to visit the commentary box and learn about the legacy Sir Peter left to modern race calling and his passionate support for racing that inspired many to engage with the sport.

Sir Peter wanted young people to take an interest in racing and this lives on through the charity’s work. We are so grateful to have received such generous support from the Trust over recent years.

Calling all alumni

Where are you now? Do you have a story about your experience with us? We would love to hear it, so please get in touch with us by emailing matt@racingtoschool.co.uk

Jockey Elisha Whittington inspires pupils at Trevelyan Middle School with an equisicer masterclass.

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Racing to School is proud to be the official founding charity partner of the Racing League and excitement is building for the series opener at Great Yarmouth on 25th July.

Earlier this term we were very pleased to deliver a Racing League-inspired maths event for Windsor-based Trevelyan Middle School’s Year 5 group with the help of up-and-coming jockey Elisha Whittington and with support of Arena Racing Company (ARC).

The unique event built on the knowledge gained on a previous learning day the pupils had at Ascot Racecourse, this time they exploring the application of addition and averages when calculating the points needed to win a race and, ultimately the League.

Elisha shared her inspiring story from – Pony-mad teenager from a non-horsey family to Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Newcomer Award winner in 2017. No surprise that pupils were queuing up to receive an equisicer masterclass and to learn some riding tips.

Following the event the Racing League and ARC announced a ‘Design a Jockeys Silk Competition’ competition for Primary School pupils, with the chance to win some fantastic Racing League prizes.

Click HERE to find out how to enter.

Looking ahead 

Our schools and colleges will be having a well earned break over the summer holidays but we still have lots to look forward to with our Riders’ Programme activities.

Our team will also be at all the Racing League fixtures this summer with equisicers, silks and some jockey’s kit, so come along and see what we do.

The charity wishes to offer its deepest sympathy and very best wishes to our cherished Ambassador John Hunt and his family following the tragic loss of his wife and two of his daughters on June 9th .

Thank you for your continued support 

We should like to say a special thank you to our supporters: the Levy Board; racing stakeholders; charitable trusts and other funders; racecourses; Pony Club Branches and Centres, schools and colleges and the many individuals that continue to underpin the effectiveness of our work.

Please consider supporting us today through a donation to our charity; by following our work across social media on YouTube, X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn; or by running an event or activity on our behalf (contact jen@racingtoschool.co.uk).

We hope you enjoy a fantastic summer and we look forward to seeing you again for the Autumn update.