Bid To Give - Woburn experience
Last month the ROA and Racing Welfare announced the launch of the new Bid to Give monthly auction. The inaugural lot, a luxury two-day Glorious Goodwood experience, was won by Patrick Plews with a bid of £3,000 which will directly benefit racing’s people.
The next lot to be auctioned is a memorable two-day celebrity golf experience at His Grace, the Duke of Bedford’s Woburn Golf Club on 30th April – 1st May 2024. Day one will see the winning bidder treated to a 4-ball with a Woburn Professional golfer before heading to The Woburn, a charming 18th-century hotel and restaurant at the heart of the picturesque village, for dinner and accommodation for three.
Day two of the package takes the winning bidder back to the golf club for a 4-ball on the Marquess Course with Sir AP McCoy. Breakfast before the round is included, as well as hospitality throughout the day as part of Racing Welfare’s annual Woburn Golf Day – an extremely popular event that attracts personalities from across the horseracing industry year-on-year.
Bidding for this exclusive Woburn golf package runs from 1st – 14th August. Head to www.bidtogive.co.uk to place your bid.
Case study: Lucy*
*name changed for anonymity
The ROA’s partnership with Racing Welfare works to directly support people working in racing, people like Lucy* who approached the charity for support when struggling with her family’s finances.
Lucy is a mother of two who has been working in the racing industry for over ten years. She’s been in receipt of financial grants to help with the rising cost of living, as well as to help with the cost of school supplies for her children.
She said: “The cost of living has just been awful really… racing is a great job to have, but it’s not the best pay.”
Lucy even had to give up her car, saying: “I just couldn’t do it anymore, it was too much. I was getting to the point where I was having nothing left over. I was paying £40 a month for gas and electric and that’s now £110 – but I’m using less!”
The pressure was such that it started to affect her mental health, as she was torn between paying the bills whilst also wanting to provide for her children.
“It was getting to me, like affecting my mental health, because I was just constantly counting every pound I was spending. But you just don’t want the kids to grow up not having memories of going places and stuff because we can’t afford it. I’d rather go without so that they can have.”
But having access to Racing Welfare’s targeted grants has helped take some of the strain.
“When you think about school uniform, a pair of school shoes are around £30 alone and then you can quickly spend another £30 on just a couple of cardigans. Having the grant was just really helpful.
“I’m really grateful for the [financial grants] I’ve had. It’s a massive help. For me, it means the kids don’t have to go without.”
Racing Welfare will offer financial support to eligible families with school-age children throughout the summer 2023. To find out more go to racingwelfare.co.uk.