Racing to School to benefit from share of £450,000 Britannia Stakes profits thanks to Betting and Gaming Council

Racing to School is set to be one of Royal Ascot’s big winners as Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) members with a share of the staggering £450,000 in profits from the Britannia Stakes being donated.

The charity is proud to be one of seven chosen to benefit from the initiative in 2025, alongside Prostate Cancer UK, Missing People, the SAS Regimental Association, Ascot Racecourse Supports, Greenhouse Sports, and Tempus Novo.

With increasing demand from schools and a growing appetite for engaging, accessible outdoor learning opportunities, this support comes at an important time for the charity. Funding from initiatives like the Britannia Stakes and the wider racing industry enables the charity to reach even more young people with its curriculum-linked education programmes to young people across Britain.

John Blake, Chief Executive of Racing to School, said: “The beneficiaries, Trustees, and small staff team at Racing to School are hugely grateful to the Betting and Gaming Council, its members, and everyone who placed a bet on this year’s Britannia Stakes for their generosity. If you didn’t back the winner, we hope you still enjoyed the thrill of watching the race, knowing that you have supported Racing to School and the six other beneficiary charities to continue their work.

“These funds will significantly support the learning of some of the 17,500 participants in our Education Programmes who will take their first steps onto a racecourse this year, which we hope will spark the beginning of a lifelong love of the sport.”

The Britannia Stakes charity initiative, now in its sixth year, has raised over £3.6 million to date, with BGC-led campaigns including the Grand National charity bet helping raise more than £6.5 million for good causes since 2019.

This year’s donation was made possible thanks to the generous support of BGC members—Flutter (Paddy Power, Betfair, Sky Bet), Entain (Ladbrokes, Coral), Evoke (888, William Hill), Kindred (Unibet), Betway, Rank Group (Grosvenor Sport), Virgin Bet, LivescoreBet, Star Sports and QuinnBet—alongside Tote and Bet with Ascot.

Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “It’s brilliant to see BGC members once again coming together to support such a wide range of charities that make a real difference in communities right across the UK.

“A huge thank you goes to all our members who took part, their customers who placed a bet on the Britannia Stakes, and of course to Ascot for their continued partnership in this important initiative.

“Together, we’ve now raised over £3.6 million through the Britannia Stakes alone, and more than £6.5 million overall. These substantial donations highlight the real commitment of the BGC and its members to supporting charities across sport, racing, health, and the veteran community. We know how much this funding means to the organisations involved, and we’re incredibly proud to play our part in supporting the incredible work they do.”

Racing to School extends its sincere thanks to the Betting and Gaming Council, its members and everyone involved with this year’s Britannia Stakes.