- 10,000 NHS and social care workers will be given free tickets to go to Aintree
- The 2020 Grand National meeting was cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic
- Jockey Club will give NHS workers tickets to attend first day of Festival in 2021
Ten thousand NHS and social care workers will be given free tickets for the opening day of next year’s Grand National Festival, Aintree racecourse bosses have announced.
Last Thursday – when this year’s meet had been due to begin – the Jockey Club announced the first day of the 2021 festival would be renamed Liverpool‘s NHS Day, with thousands of tickets donated to NHS and professional carers in Merseyside.
The three-day festival, which culminates in the world-famous steeplechase, was cancelled this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Dickon White, regional director of Jockey Club Racecourses North West, said: ‘We’re delighted to donate 10,000 tickets to the NHS and professional carers across Merseyside.
‘We’re also proud to re-name the first day of the 2021 Randox Health Grand National as Liverpool’s NHS Day in recognition of the amazing NHS staff and volunteers.
‘We understand just how hard the NHS and professional carers are working right now and this is our way of showing our gratitude.
‘The ticket process and distribution will begin at the start of next year and we’ll be working with the relevant organisations to ensure those who should benefit from the initiative are included.’
Jan Ledward, Chief Officer at NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: ‘Across local health and care, staff are working tirelessly to keep services running and give people the care they need, often in the face of significant challenges.
‘Whether in GP practices, hospitals, community and mental health services, care homes, social care – or the many other areas that make up our local system – teams are showing incredible resilience and dedication.
‘We’re delighted to see this enormous effort recognised.’
Further details on the ticket process will be revealed later in the year.
On Saturday, bookmakers took bets on a virtual Grand National, with all profits from the race donated to NHS Charities Together.
Nicola McGeady, of Ladbrokes, said: ‘This is a chance for the nation to come together and enjoy the Grand National experience in the absence of the real thing and to continue the tradition of having a fun flutter on the day.
‘More importantly though, it is only fitting that all bookmaker profits on the race should go to the NHS for the heroic work they are doing during these difficult times.’
