The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) together with Tickets For Troops are pleased to announce that all 60 racecourses in Great Britain will offer free tickets to armed forces personnel in 2018.
Since the scheme launched in 2009 British Racecourses have donated over 70,000 tickets to the scheme, which allows those employed in the armed forces to attend some of British racing’s premier days for free.
2018 is the second year all 60 courses have signed up for the scheme and once again tickets are on offer for events such as the Royal Ascot, the Qatar Goodwood Festival, the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival, the William Hill St Leger Festival and Cheltenham’s November Meeting.
Lord Marland, Chairman of Tickets For Troops, said:
“This is fantastic news from the BHA which has been a very generous supporter of Tickets For Troops since launch. The geography of racecourses throughout the UK means that troops and their families from all corners of country can enjoy a great day out in recognition of their efforts in keeping us safe and secure.”
Robin Mounsey, Head of Media at the BHA, said:
“It is great news that all 60 racecourses are able to show appreciation for the brave men and women who serve our country, and we are grateful to our racecourses for the generosity they continue to show.
“There is a wider variety of fixtures on offer than ever this year and we hope plenty of troops will enjoy a well-deserved day out at the races in 2018.”
Will Aitkenhead, Communications Executive at the Racecourse Association, said:
“ It’s fantastic that all 60 racecourses are supporting this important and well received scheme allowing racing to show our appreciation in a small way to the men and women who serve our country.
“The Tickets For Troops scheme in racing is an extension of the already wide-ranging and impactful work that all racecourses do to help their communities and we look forward to welcoming lots of the troops and their families to racecourses this year.”
Notes to editors:
1. Tickets For Troops provides free tickets to members of the Armed Forces for a variety of sporting, musical and cultural events. The service offers serving personnel and those medically discharged from the forces since 2001, the well-deserved opportunity to enjoy an event of their choice with their friends and families. More can be found on their website here, where tickets can also be booked.
2. The RCA works on behalf of racecourses to represent their views within the sport through the tripartite structure of the Members’ Agreement alongside BHA and The Horsemen’s Group. Outside of horseracing, we work alongside the Government, other sports and leisure venues, and national charities to meet the needs of racecourses.
Additionally, the RCA encourages and facilitates racecourse community engagement, involvement in horse welfare initiatives, responsible drinking campaigns, and various other partnerships within the sport.
3. You can view a map of all the 60 British racecourses here.
