Thursday 10 May saw the start of Worcester Racecourse’s 300th Anniversary season, with an action packed 8 race card with a full house of 79 runners. The season opener raceday is also the Worcester University Student’s Union RAG raceday, organised for the second year running by RAG Chairman and third year Sport Business Management student Harry Lonsdale.
Students enjoyed a special £10 admission package that included County Enclosure admission, a drink and a pie when purchased on the gate with their student ID card.
The number of students taking advantage of this great value day out at the races was 267 in 2018, more than double the number of students that attended the event in 2017.
Each year Worcester Student’s Union RAG nominate a charity, this year’s charity is the Alzheimer’s Society and from the student raceday alone a total of £808.75 was raised through ticket sales which were matched by Barclays’ Worcester branch, plus a bucket collection at the end of the raceday,
Worcester Student’s Union RAG Chairman Harry Lonsdale said:
“We set ourselves a big target to raise £10,000 for charity by our final event at the end of May 2018, and the student raceday plays a big part in our fundraising efforts. We are delighted to have raised £808.75 at this event for the Alzheimer’s Society, taking us well over our £10,000 target for the year with a couple more events to come. We are very grateful to the Worcester branch of Barclays for their generosity in matching the amount raised from ticket sales, their support has been invaluable in helping us achieve such a great total, more than doubling the amount raised from the event the year before.
“It is a pleasure for me to see so many fellow students enjoying a day at the races, many of whom have not been racing before and the feedback we receive after the event has been overwhelmingly positive. To have more than doubled the number of students attending the event in our second year is an incredible achievement and we are already looking ahead to our third year of the student raceday in May 2019.”
Executive Director of Worcester Racecourse, Jenny Cheshire, said:
“Having enjoyed a successful inaugural year in 2017, we are delighted to see the student raceday go from strength to strength and to more than double the number of students attending the event is a testament to Harry’s dedication and passion for sporting events. We are always seeking new ways to bring National Hunt racing to a new audience and we are thrilled to see so many students enjoying a day at the races.
“We are already looking forward to working with Harry again next year for the 2019 student raceday and continuing to build on this successful day.”
PICTURED (L-R): Harry Gillard (L) & Hannah Symonds (Centre) with Harry Lonsdale (R), Chairman of the Worcester Student's Union RAG.
