Chelmsford City Racecourse Staff Give Back Through Volunteering

Chelmsford City Racecourse staff regularly volunteer in the local community to mark Racing Together’s annual Community Day.

Alongside this initiative this year to mark their 10th anniversary, staff have pledged to give back 10 times over the course of the year through a series of additional community volunteering initiatives.

All departments are getting involved to make a meaningful impact and have recently come together, dedicating their time to local causes in the community, and doing good together. These activities have so far included gardening at a local care home and the Wilderness Foundation and supporting young people with disabilities.

The team visited Croft House, a local care home with a garden in need of some attention. While they have a gardener who maintains the grounds every two weeks, the size of the garden designed for residents to enjoy meant additional help was welcomed.

They were tasked to weed flower beds, tidy the pond area and jet wash the pathways. Staff also enjoyed lunch with the residents generously prepared by the home’s chef, and spent time speaking with the residents, many of whom take daily walks and greatly value the tranquil outdoor space.

“WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW What an unbelievable day we had with you guys and an absolute pleasure having you here. All the staff that have seen it and the residents that have been outside so far have all commented how wonderful the garden looks and how much easier it is going to be to maintain now. We thank you so much for your hard work and friendly nature. Please ensure all your team get a special thank you on our behalf. They were absolute stars and worked so hard. Even more so that you all gave up your time to do it. We really cannot thank you enough and will be sending out some huge huge huge HUGE thanks on our social media pages and local media and will make sure you get a lot of support from us. Mel, the home manager, has already mentioned we might try and organise a day at the races this year and without doubt it will be Chelmsford we go to”

Peter Lewis – Activities Co-ordinator Croft House Care Home

The Wilderness Centre is a local charity that focuses on positive wellbeing, the environment and nature. Their mission is to preserve wild places and educate and inspire vulnerable people, and children from SEN schools through nature-based therapy programmes. Their aim includes using the outdoors, nature and wilderness experiences to bring about measurable, positive change and improved mental health in young people and adults.

Staff from Chelmsford City Racecourse visited their 400-acre site to help maintain their wonderful therapy garden which was originally donated to them from the Chelsea Flower Show. Jobs also included weeding and adding woodchip to the garden, as well as sweeping and weeding the pathway surrounding their center and painting some garden posts, contributing to the upkeep of this valuable space. The Presidents Sporting Club is a remarkable local charity that Chelmsford City Racecourse has proudly supported for the last four years. The charity inspires children with special needs through sport, providing access to facilities and opportunities that make a meaningful difference to the lives of young people facing daily challenges.

To date the charity has now raised over £3 million which has been donated to schools and organisations, such as Riding for the Disabled to provide sporting facilities and opportunities for disabled children.

President Frank Bruno and other sporting heroes regularly attend events in support of the charity, and staff from the racecourse have helped out at their annual Xmas party and last week attended the summer school activity day at Chelmsford Athletics Centre which hosted 1,650 children, helping out on the Derby Racing and giving out Chelmsford City goody bags.

Founder Mike Jackson, MBE, who is recognised for his outstanding work for the charity, was also awarded the prestigious Point of Light award from the Prime Minister for his volunteering work.

Paralympian Noel Thatcher MBE five times Gold Medalist has been given support by the charity over the years went on to win a gold medal wrote “I can say without exaggeration, that without the Club’s sponsorship all those years ago, many of the medals I have been fortunate to win would have been hanging around someone else’s neck. I would like to think that you can look at my two gold medals from Atlanta as a reward for the magnificent work the Club does for the young and disabled in the community. It continues to be a privilege to be associated with their work.”

“Demonstrating the diverse ways our team is making a difference, it’s incredibly rewarding to step outside of the office and work together for the greater good” said Jo Flaherty, Head of Community & Charity, who coordinated the volunteering. “This is part of our broader mission to foster a culture of empathy, teamwork and social responsibility.

We are proud to continue to build a workplace where giving back is encouraged. Our Team’s involvement not only strengthens community ties but also boosts employee morale and unity”

As Chelmsford City Racecourse celebrates a decade of Racing Together, the spirit of giving back has never been stronger. These ongoing efforts reflect a genuine commitment to community, showing that when people come together with purpose, they can leave a lasting impact. With many more volunteering days ahead this year, the team looks forward to continuing this journey; supporting local causes, building meaningful relationships, and proving those small acts of kindness that can lead to extraordinary change.