RACING WELFARE GETTING RACING TALKING FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK
Mental Health Awareness Week: Monday 15 – Sunday 21 May 2023
The racing industry is being encouraged to take action for mental health this week, as Mental Health Awareness Week launches nationwide today. The campaign is run by the Mental Health Foundation, and the theme for this year is ‘Anxiety’.
Racing’s human welfare charity, Racing Welfare, will be leading racing’s response to this important awareness campaign, aiming to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of anxiety, normalising conversations and signposting to support services. The charity is calling for people working in the racing industry to take action for their own mental health or for the mental health of others in the racing community.
During the week Racing Welfare will be showcasing a new film that depicts anxiety building up for a racehorse trainer. The film has been created in conjunction with Equine Productions and shows typical day-to-day scenarios that can lead to poor mental health. In addition to the film, Racing Welfare will be sharing information about the signs and symptoms of anxiety and will be signposting to support services throughout the week. Green ribbons will also be visible across racecourses this week as the industry shows its support for the campaign.
CLICK HERE to watch the film.
The racing community will be encouraged to join the conversation about mental health across social media this week using the hashtags #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek and #ToHelpMyAnxiety. For those wanting to go one step further, Racing Welfare offers heavily subsidised mental health training, including accredited Mental Health First Aid England courses for anyone working in the industry who’d like to gain formal mental health training.
Racing Welfare’s Director of Welfare, Simone Sear, said: “Mental Health Awareness Week is a campaign we’ve supported for a number of years at Racing Welfare now. We know the pressures of day-to-day life can take their toll, and indeed racing brings its own unique challenges for people working in the sport. Our mental health services remain at the heart of Racing Welfare, working holistically with our practical support services to support racing’s people. We hope to see the industry get behind this important awareness campaign this week, and look forward to making strides in normalising conversations about mental health going forwards.”
Follow Racing Welfare on social media for updates on Mental Health Awareness Week.
Racing Welfare is the only charity that supports all people who work in racing – stud, stable and support staff; from their recruitment right through to retirement. Our support is available to everyone working the thoroughbred and Arabian racing industries.
The popular Best Turned Out Series sponsored by Racing Welfare will be returning for the new season of UK Arabian racing. The series rewards the hard-working grooms with points awarded in every race and at the end of the season, the winners in each category will receive a cash prize of £125.
The three awards are presented as follows: to the individual with the most points from a yard with nine horses or less, to the individual from a yard with ten horses or more and a further award to the yard that accrues the most points overall. In addition, there will be five individual Best Turned Out cash awards of £20 presented by the regional Welfare Officer who will be representing Racing Welfare.
Racing Welfare Officers provide a wide ranging advice and guidance service which is confidential and non-judgemental. We support people with a wide range of issues:
Accidents
Money advice
Wellbeing
Illness
Career advice
Relationships
Housing
Retirement
Racing Welfare’s services are nationally accessible with offices in the main racing centres and roving Welfare Officers covering the whole of the country.
Our multi-channel helpline Racing’s Support Line allows people to reach us online as well as through the 24hr helpline:
Searchable information database
Ask a Question online
Live chat online
Grants and housing application forms
Telephone legal support and benefits checks
Telephone counselling
‘Be Friendly:
Is a new telephone befriending service launched by Racing Welfare with the aim of reducing and preventing loneliness and social isolation within the horse racing community.
Named after ‘Be Friendly’ the dual Haydock Sprint Cup winner owned by Sir Peter O’Sullevan, The Be Friendly service is for people from the horse racing industry who might be feeling lonely and isolated or who may be incapacitated and vulnerable for a variety of reasons.
A trained Befriender will make calls on a regular basis, not only to have a chat but also to ensure that everything is OK. The service is completely free and confidential and is open to anyone who works or who has previously worked in the Horseracing Industry, including their close dependants. The Be Friendly service is available to anyone of any age and could also be beneficial to those feeling isolated through long term illness or injury.
Anyone who would like to find out more or sign up to the Be Friendly service can visit the website or call Racing’s Support Line on 0800 6300 443.
For more information on this service please click here.
Housing:
Racing Welfare owns and manages a portfolio of more than 140 residential units across the UK. The charity also operates a housing advice service which supports people to access appropriate and affordable homes.
The charity’s main aim is to provide support and good quality, affordable rental accommodation to:
Young people aged 16-24 years;
The frail and elderly
Our residential units throughout the UK include hostels, flats, houses and supported housing. Rents are subsidised and the quality of the accommodation reflects best practice in social housing.
For more information around housing needs, contact us for a confidential chat.
0800 6300 443 – 24hr Helpline
www.racingwelfare.co.uk