The three principal single Service Armed Forces charities, comprising the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the RAF Benevolent Fund, will be the official nominated charity partners for Royal Ascot 2021.
The charities have traditionally been supported and promoted on the Friday of Royal Ascot, with more than £20,000 normally raised from bucket collections alone on the day. This year they will have an extended presence across the five days of the Royal Meeting to help them raise much needed funds which have been impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ascot Racecourse will work in partnership with the Armed Forces charities to raise awareness of their work by promoting the personal stories of their servicemen and women through digital content, on-course activations and in the Royal Ascot racecard. As in previous years, Ascot Racecourse will be making a donation from the sale of certain food and beverage in addition to a donation of 1% of sales by concessionaires on the Friday of Royal Ascot.
Ascot Racecourse will also be making a donation from the sale of its Royal Ascot Hampers which are available to purchase from the Online Ascot Shop. £5 for each two-person hamper sold and £10 for each six-person hamper sold will be donated to the Armed Forces charities.
Nick Smith, Director of Racing and Public Affairs, said: “We are delighted to confirm this charity partnership with the Armed Forces charities for Royal Ascot this year.
“Typically, racegoers really engage with the three charities on the Friday and it will be fantastic to see some of the military personnel and volunteers back on site through the week.
“Having been unable to welcome them last year due to the pandemic, we are really pleased to extend our relationship across all five days and look forward to helping them raise much needed funds and awareness of the work they do.”
Brigadier Peter Walker OBE, Chairman of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity in Berkshire, said: “The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the RAF Benevolent Fund are delighted to be the official nominated charity partners for Royal Ascot 2021.
“The three charities have been working with Ascot Racecourse at Royal Ascot since 2013 and it is with great pleasure that we are able to continue and strengthen our relationship this year.
“The members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and RAF who will be at Royal Ascot are very much looking forward to the event, and the three charities would like to thank everyone involved for their support which helps to assist Armed Forces personnel, both past and present, in times of need.”
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