Celebrations supported by a 'Champion'

Racing Welfare kindly invited their 'Sporting Memories' groups, of which 'Everyone's a Winner' is one, to spend a day at Newmarket Racecourse in one of Godolphin's hospitality boxes, which was donated for the final race meeting of 2018.

The project participants were invited to celebrate the completion of their 'Personal Journals', which display the timeline of their lives in the racing industry. Sadly, not everyone was available to attend on the day, but those of us that were made up for their absence and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

It was a treat to have the company of Bob Champion M.B.E. and winner of 1981 Grand National, who enjoyed looking through the Journals and chatting and joking with everyone.

As a group we have met most weeks for many months. I can sincerely say, I have thoroughly enjoyed spending my time with these delightful, hardworking people. I feel especially honoured they have been prepared to talk so openly about their lives. To have searched for photographs, pay slips, newspaper cuttings and finally, their minds for memories, for us to evidence an epoch in the racing industry and record their legacies for future generations. Legacies they can most certainly be very proud to have lived.