A total of £400,000 was raised by frontline charities during Royal Ascot this year. Approximately £166,000 was contributed by the #StyledWithThanks programme, and Ascot Racecourse's direct fundraising benefitted The NationalEmergencies Trust Relief Fund, NH Charities Together, The Care Workers Charity and the Berkshire Community Foundation Coronavirus Fund. Prizes were awarded for Most Elegant, Most Uplifting and Most Original as judged by a panel of fashion industry experts. An online auction of rainbow-themed hats-in partnership with the British Hat Guild-generated £24,000, and the campaign was given another £30,000 boost when 2020 Royal Ascot Champion Jockey Frankie Dettori signed and donated his commemorative '70th Royal Ascot win' saddlecloth. Other charitable contributions were raised by the sale of 2020 Ascot Jockey Bears, a £5 donation from the sale of each Royal Ascot Afternoon Tea and 20% of sales from the new Ascot Wine Club. Betting and Gaming council members, among them many of the UK's leading bookmakers also pledged £250,000 to be distributed between Prostate Cancer UK, Marie Curie, The Care Workers Charity and the Berkshire Community Foundation Coronavirus Fund around an initiative that centred on the Britannia S. on Gold Cup Day. Jockeys riding on the final day of Royal Ascot donated all of their riding fees.
“We are delighted with the response of the public and the racing, betting and fashion industries to all the charitable initiatives that took place during and around Royal Ascot,” said Ascot Racecourse Director of Racing & Public Affairs. “The rainbow montage tribute of photos sent in as part of our #StyledWithThanks campaign will be a permanent reminder of the year when all elements of what makes Royal Ascot so special came together to support a range of national and local charities.”
For the full details, go to www.ascot.co.uk/ascot-racecourse.
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