BE PART OF THE CELEBRATIONS AS NEWMARKET RACECOURSES REMEMBERS ITS HEROES WITH THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
For the fourth time Newmarket welcomes the Royal British Legion to the July Course to hold a charity raceday on Saturday, August 27, 2005. It is particularly poignant this year as Newmarket Racecourses joins the Royal British Legion in commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II. Thousands and thousands of Victory Thanks flags flew over Trafalgar Square on July 10 this year, WWII National Commemoration Day. Now it is Newmarket's turn to send its message of heartfelt thanks to all those men and women who valiantly served their country during the Second World War.
Gates will open at 11.00am with the first race taking place at 1.00pm. Racegoers will be able to enjoy various events going on throughout the day including; the Royal British Legion Band who will play in the Parade Ring from 11.10am to 12.10pm, the Mike Baker Swing Band who will play on the main stage between the last four races and then for 45 minutes after racing, while there will also be a Parade of Standards taking place on the track at 12.45pm.
The Mike Baker Swing Band will be leading the party with sounds from the 30s, 40s and early 50s. Racegoers are invited to dance and sing along to the classic tunes of Glenn Miller, Ted Heath, Duke Ellington and of course Dame Vera Lynn. The July Racecourse will be swinging to the sound of "We'll Meet Again" as the day closes.
The Royal British Legion is the UK's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to millions who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and their dependants. Currently, nearly 11 million people are eligible for their support and they receive around 300,000 calls for help every year.
The Legion was founded in 1921 as a voice for the ex-Service community and the 550,000 members continue to ensure that this voice does not go unheard. Although the needs of ex-Service people have changed over the years, they are still there to safeguard their welfare, interests and memory. British service people are in action around the world every day of the year. They know that if they need their support - now or in the future - the Legion is always on active duty for them.
Newmarket Racecourses defiantly kept racing throughout the war, staging many of the season's Classic races. Indeed, 30,000 people crammed into the July Course for the 1941 Derby resulting in 'congestion' caused by 4,000 cars being mentioned in the House of Commons. However it was in 1945 that Lord Derby's Sun Stream won the One Thousand Guineas which was held on V-E Day itself. Newmarket 60 years on will be flying the Victory Thanks flags to salute our veterans in 2005.
Tickets range from £5 - £18 and are available from the Box Office on 01638 675500 or can be booked online at www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk.
For more information:
Gaynor Haxby, Marketing Manager Newmarket- 01638 675 505
Sarah Rippon, PR/Marketing Assistant Newmarket- 01638 675 555
Distributed by Racenews
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