2025 marks 10 years of horseracing and events at Chelmsford City Racecourse, with community also being at the heart of everything they do.

Since opening their doors in 2015, Chelmsford City Racecourse has focused on building strong community relationships, through events, fundraising and volunteering for Racing Together’s Community Day.

Their engagement extends to working with local schools, children, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of people and the Armed Forces, providing opportunities for people to experience racing. Young people are our future racegoers and at the racecourse they regularly engage with children of all ages through a partnership with Racing to School hosting educational days for over 200 children, while their family fun days have created lasting memories. Family Fun days alone have enabled the racecourse to support various charities, contributing over £33,000 to beneficiaries Help for Heroes, Havens Hospices and Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. Other fundraising initiatives have amounted to raising over £70K in the last five years for many charities in the local and wider communities. 

Continuing their commitment to inclusivity, they are proud to be in their fourth year of hosting initiatives such as ‘Carers Week’ ‘Autism in Racing’ and hosting ‘Time for a Cuppa’ for Dementia patients, offering meaningful experiences for vulnerable families. They have also partnered with small local charities such as POP Essex who have provided tremendous support along the way. In 2024, they hosted their second Remembrance Raceday to honour and support the Armed Forces, proudly raising over £14,000 since August 2023, with donations benefitting the Royal British Legion and local limbless veterans’ charity Blesma. These are now placed firmly on the racecourse’s calendar as legacy events.

Their dedication to community engagement has also earned national recognition, with their initiatives being named finalists in the RCA Showcase Awards for Diversity & Inclusion and Racing Together Community categories in both 2023 and 2024. Also proud to be recognised and honoured to have received a highly commended award for their unique Remembrance Raceday at the 2024 award ceremony.

As well as looking back to past achievements, they are looking ahead with new initiatives for 2025 dedicated to making a meaningful impact through charitable and sustainable efforts. To celebrate ’10 Years of Community’ their goals for the year include supporting 10 carefully selected charities, each with a target of raising £10,000, hosting 10 non-raceday community events, organising 10 off-site volunteering days, and implementing 10 sustainability initiatives. 

The carefully selected charities are a mix of equine charities and support for local charities that address issues likely to have an impact on or touch the lives of people in our community. For more information on the 10 charities please follow this link Making a Difference: 10 Years of Community at Chelmsford City Racecourse

Committed to achieving these goals and continuing the success with an innovative, forward-thinking approach, the team is exploring creative and unique ways to bring this vision to life. 

This includes taking on group and individual challenges, holding raffles and a fantastic auction, along with welcoming the charities to the racecourse on key racedays, supporting them in engaging with the public to help with their fundraising.

An important date in their community calendar is the Chelmsford City Cup Charity Gala Lunch where visitors can enjoy one of the best seats in the house for a summer afternoon of racing with one of their highest-graded races and world-class prize money.

All profit from table sales will go to the 10 charities, as guests enjoy a trackside experience in the Queen Charlotte marquee with a private terrace overlooking the final bend. The package includes a three-course set menu, racecard, tipster talk, live auction, raffle and celebrity guest speaker.

Jo Flaherty Head of Community & Charity said… “ I am looking forward to a fantastic afternoon of racing and celebrating 10 Years of Community at our Charity Gala Lunch.

We are very proud to be working with our 10 amazing charities that depend on public generosity to support our local community. Through strong partnerships we aim to work collaboratively toward our shared goal of important causes throughout 2025 and are committed to doing everything we can to give back, achieve our fundraising target and make a meaningful impact. 

If any of our chosen charities hold a special place in your heart, or you can support them by booking a table or donating, we encourage you to get in touch. Additionally, we’d love to hear and share any personal stories from the public along the way”

For bookings please contact: info@chelmsfordcityracecourse.com  or call 01245 360300

For more information on the raceday please visit Chelmsford City Cup