The team from York Racecourse will be venturing away from their usual day jobs on Friday 26 January to help their local community by taking part in the Give and Gain initiative.

York Racecourse will donate over one hundred working hours to tidying up and maintaining the public areas of the Knavesmire and adjacent “little Knavesmire”. The track is already active in doing a litter sweep around its race meetings however this separate initiative falls at time when the live action is nearly five months away.

Sophia Monkman, the Community Officer at the Course said:

“Our second Give and Gain Day provides the perfect opportunity for York Racecourse to demonstrate our commitment to the community that we are proud to have been a part of since 1731.

Some forty members of the team, those working outside to those based in the office, will take part in the day and by utilizing their enthusiasm and energy, we will be helping our local community.”

Beki Johnson, Environment and Community Officer at City of York Council are welcoming the racecourse’s involvement:

"Outside of racing season, the Knavesmire is a public space that falls to the Council and so Council budgets to look after; so York Racecourse volunteering on the wider Knavesmire is a huge help. The time and effort put in will make the area more welcoming to visitors and regular users alike."

The Give and Gain initiative is the global day of employee volunteering organised by Business in the Community (BITC). Now in its tenth year, thousands of people from hundreds of companies took part in the official volunteering day on Friday 12 May 2017, which fell just as the racecourse was approaching the start of its busy race season.

Racing’s contribution to the day has been supported by Racing Together, the community engagement strategy for the sport.