Money raised will help Macmillan continue to provide emotional, financial, medical and practical support to people affected by cancer.
The final race of the day, the Best Western Hotels and Macmillan Ride of their Lives, will see twelve amateur riders go head-to-head on the racecourse in front of a crowd of over 25,000 spectators. The twelve riders, including a care worker, a swimming teacher and a vet, have swapped their everyday lives for that of a jockey. Since January, they have been building up to the big day by getting into shape and training to master the art of riding thoroughbred racehorses.
The riders are men and women aged from 23 to 55, from all walks of life and different parts of the country – some have even faced cancer themselves. Each of the riders has pledged to raise at least £3,000 for Macmillan and a total of over £100,000 between them.
Alexandra Schimmel, Event Development Manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:
“This is a huge challenge for the twelve riders. They will be swapping their everyday lives for months of training and fundraising. We’re so grateful for their support as Macmillan relies on donations to fund our vital services. All money raised for Macmillan will help us to continue to provide emotional, financial, medical and practical support to people affected by cancer.”
The raceday will also include seven other races alongside charity lunches, auctions, raffles and collections. A fantastic day out in the name of a good cause, a percentage of the ticket price goes to Macmillan. Last year, the Macmillan Charity Raceday raised more than £480,000 and the event has raised over £7m to date.
For more information or to get tickets, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/ yorkraceday
