RELEASE: Racing Home announces extended funding partnership with the RacingFoundation to improve the lives of working parents and carers in thehorseracing industry

19 Nov 2024

Women in Racing is delighted to announce an extended funding partnership with the Racing Foundation to deliver its Racing Home programme throughout 2025.

Racing Home exists to support, educate and empower both employers and employees across the racing industry, including those who are self-employed.

Having supported the initial planning stages of Racing Home since its inception in 2019, and the delivery of its key activities since 2021, the Racing Foundation has awarded a further £91,000 for the next phase of the Racing Home project, which will enable crucial developments to the support programme until the end of October 2025.

Racing Home addresses issues such as pregnancy, maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave, flexible working, self- employment and statutory pay, which are all often considered ‘difficult’ subjects for both employers and employees to address in the racing and breeding industries.

The programme aims to support employers, employees and the self-employed on these subjects and provide accessible information via www.racinghome.org.uk, the ongoing ‘Racing Home’ Podcast Series (available on Apple and Spotify), videos and more.

Women in Racing Chair, Lucy Gurney said: “Women in Racing is grateful for the Racing Foundation’s ongoing support for Racing Home. We’re proud of the research and resulting implementation programme which is helping staff and employers across the industry and removing the taboo around parenting and caring.
“I want to encourage colleagues to visit the Racing Home portal, watch the videos and listen to the podcasts to learn more. Supporting and retaining racing’s working parents is key to our sustainability as a workforce. Thanks go to the Simply Racing team for delivering the programme.”

With funding from the Racing Foundation, priorities for the next phase of Racing Home include:

• Further development of the Racing Home Portal, which provides transparent recommendations and legal counsel for both employees and employers, outlining effective strategies for bolstering family support and ensuring the industry’s sustained prosperity.
• Continued development of the Post-Pregnancy Rehabilitation and Support Programme, which aims to support working mothers, including jockeys and stable staff, to return to riding and other physical work in racing post-pregnancy. This physiotherapy and rehabilitation programme offers mothers six sessions of physiotherapy, a tailored fitness plan, strength & conditioning support and gym work funded by Racing Welfare’s Workforce Wellbeing Programme.
• Recording of further episodes of the Racing Home podcast, which discusses pertinent issues about family and parenthood with trainers, jockeys, researchers, experts and a host of the sport’s decision-makers.
• Continued development of education modules for the Thoroughbred racing and breeding community, with the aim of increasing knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced in the workplace, as well as available solutions and practical tips.
• Further gathering of data, feedback and ideas around best practice, to be collated and disseminated across the industry and beyond.
• Promotion of the services and support offered by Racing Home across the horseracing industry.

Tansy Challis, Racing Foundation Chief Executive said: “At the Racing Foundation, our purpose is to work in partnership with the racing industry to help achieve a sustainable future for the sport.
“Supporting parents and carers is a vital part of this mission, as it will help ensure the racing industry can attract and retain the talented workforce it relies upon.
“By extending our funding of the Racing Home programme, we aim to contribute to a more inclusive and supportive environment for working parents and carers.”

For more information please contact:
Lucy Gurney (Chair, Women in Racing): [email protected] Dena Merson (Simply Racing): [email protected]

About Women in Racing

Women in Racing is a network aiming to develop the profile of women within horseracing and provide support to women wishing to secure appointments from grassroots through to senior and board level in the sport. Its objectives also include attracting more women into horseracing, strengthening connections, collaborating on approaches to help promote the health of the sport and to enhance its reputation as an attractive sector in which to build a career.
Since it was founded in 2009, it has achieved significant milestones including a successful mentoring scheme and a Bursary fund alongside a busy calendar of educational and social events. Membership costs from £15 per year.
www.womeninracing.co.uk
@WomenInRacing1

About The Racing Foundation:

In 2012 the Racing Foundation was established to oversee the distribution of funds to charitable causes within the racing and thoroughbred industry following the sale of the Tote. Since inception it has awarded over £39million in grants. Racing’s people, equine welfare, youth and community engagement and environment and emerging issues are the key areas of focus in the 2024 strategy. The Trustees of the Racing Foundation are Julia Budd (Chair), Linda Bowles (SID), Jim Boyle, Louise Kemble, Alice Page, Rishi Persad and Algy Smith-Maxwell. The British Horseracing Authority, the Thoroughbred Group and Racecourse Association are the three joint Members of the Racing Foundation, which is registered with the Charity Commission as a charity under the law of England and Wales (no. 1145297). 

www.racingfoundation.co.uk

@RacingGrants

About Simply Racing

Simply Racing is a consultancy specialising in horseracing that blends racing knowledge with business expertise, ensuring solutions both relevant to racing and current in terms of business practices and methods. Our consultants provide a combination of pedigree and performance with specialisation in leadership coaching and staff development, mediation, project and event management, marketing and public relations.
Simply Racing offers business solutions and helps prioritise and develop people, be they in an office, racecourse, stable or stud environment and will support and promote your organisation
www.simplyracing.uk
@SimplyRacingUK