New Features For SSAFA 2019 Chepstow Raceday!
Following the huge success of the 2018 SSAFA Raceday at Chepstow, SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, is delighted to announce that the 2019 SSAFA Raceday will take place at Chepstow on November 20th 2019.
The format of the Raceday has expanded this year with the exciting addition of an MoD briefing from a senior MoD official during a business breakfast before racing. The brief will bring the audience up to date with the latest developments and requirements from DE&S at Abbey Wood. After the brief each sponsor of our six races will give a talk about their company and its activities. The briefs will be supported by an advanced display kindly donated by American Panel Inc. This display will allow the companies to show interactive details of their products with accompanying videos.
The 2018 event, the fourth SSAFA Raceday raised over £28,000 for SSSAFA, giving a cumulative total of over £65,000 since the event began in 2014 with the Angela Nettlefold memorial race. This year we have a list of new sponsors and a great list of prizes for our auction and raffle including jewellery, stable tours of Jonjo O’Neill at Jackdaws, Oliver Sherwood in Lambourn and Paul Webber in Banbury and a night at his B&B, hotels including Freddie Tullochs Queens Arms pub in East Garston and Castle House in Hereford, a tour of the Bentley factory, raceday tickets from Sandown and Chepstow, a visit to the Frankel Stud at Newmarket, Loganair tickets, a Supacat Drive Day, a tour of the BBC Cotswold Farm run by Adam Henson and of course many exciting bottles of wine and spirits.
BATTLESPACE will produce a special issue to go alongside the Raceday. Once again, all advertising proceeds will be donated to SSAFA. A new feature this year will be the inclusion of free advertising slots on the American Panel display which will be seen by the audience, any company wishing to include a SSAFA donation for this service would be welcomed.
Race sponsors this year include, Viasat, Spectra Group, BATTLESPACE Publications, Jankel, Fujitsu and TVS. Table sponsors include, Viasat, Spectra Group, BATTLESPACE Publications, Jankel, Fujitsu, TVS, Allan Webb, BAE Systems and Exensor.
This will be followed by a six race card with lunch and the annual BATTLESPACE Businessman of The Year Award followed by the raffle and the auction so aptly managed by Steve O’Leary of DE&S.
Julian Nettlefold of BATTLESPACE said, “The SSAFA Raceday at Chepstow is now a key part of the defence industry’s annual calendar. The addition of an MoD speaker this year brings a new dimension to the day. BATTLESPACE is delighted to continue to support the SSAFA Raceday as SSAFA provides such huge support to service families. The day gives a wonderful showcase not only to raise vital money for needy soldiers and their families but to highlight the huge challenges facing SSAFA and other military charities to support such families. Having come from a family with a disabled father, I know the huge support charities like SSAFA can give to families such as ours, not only giving support to the wounded soldier but to the whole family to meet the everyday challenges. As wounded veterans age, the challenge to support them rises exponentially when illnesses such as muscle wear, dementia and cancer kick in on top of the disability.”
James Grant of SSAFA said: “SSAFA is absolutely delighted to work with Battlespace again this year and to be part of the Chepstow Race Day. We are really looking forward to the event in November and hope that we are able to raise vital funds enabling us to continue providing support to the Armed Forces community.”
Ken Peterman, President of Viasat’s Government Systems and last year’s BATTLESPACE Businessman of the Year winner said,"Viasat is honored to be a part of this year’s event. We are grateful to SSAFA for all of the impactful work the organisation is doing in the field of defence, and for members of the armed forces community.”
Simon Davies, CEO Of Spectra Group, the 2017 BATTLESPACE Businessman of the Year winner said, “Spectra Group is privileged to be able to support SSAFA who provide unparalleled support to members of the Armed Forces, both serving and veterans, in their hour of need.”
Charlotte Caple of Chepstow said, “We are delighted to welcome SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, back to Chepstow Racecourse as official raceday sponsors of our November 20th SSAFA Raceday. This meeting signals the fourth year running the charity has sponsored a meeting here at Chepstow. It is a privilege to help generate exposure for SSAFA who do such vital work in supporting military families.”
For Further details contact:
Alice Young, SSAFA: +44 20 7463 9403, Alice.Young@ssafa.org.uk
Julian Nettlefold, BATTLESPACE: 07768954766, j.nettlefold@battle-technology.com
Notes to editors
About SSAFA:
SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity (formerly known as the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association), provides lifelong support to anyone who is currently serving or has ever served in the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force, and their families. This includes both regulars and reserves.
Each year, our professional staff and network of more than 7,000 volunteers provide assistance to some 55,000 people, ranging from World War Two veterans to the families of young servicemen and women wounded or killed in Afghanistan.
For more information visit www.ssafa.org.uk and follow us on Twitter: @SSAFA.
