Charity clarity for ‘New Beginnings’ former racehorses enjoying #LifePastThePost

On January 29 New Beginnings celebrated exactly one year of charity status. The passion behind New Beginnings comes from founders Pam Hollingworth and Kevin Atkinson in their mission to provide a safe and secure environment where former racehorses can adjust and be re-trained for their second career following racing.

New Beginnings was established in 2010 and acquired charitable status in 2016 (Registered Charity No: 1165357). Through fundraising and donations the team works hard to secure income to provide a knowledgeable base from which horses can adapt to a new environment then re-train and be re-homed.

“Our transition to charitable status couldn’t have been achieved without the assistance of our Trustees and team of volunteers. Or without the on-going support from Halifax Estates, and Lady Countess of Halifax in particular as our Patron.” Kevin says. “Her own knowledge of Thoroughbreds means she fully understands what we have set out to achieve and the facilities available to us on the estate makes that goal achievable.”

A racehorse that doesn’t race is simply a horse, and the charity’s approach builds confidence and allows each horse to develop physically and mentally at its own pace. The process often serves to highlight their personal strengths – potentially a flair for dressage or jumping or as a confident hack. The ultimate aim is to produce horses that can easily move into new disciplines and be suitably and successfully re-homed.

New Beginnings is committed to looking after every horse for the rest of its natural life so horses are re-homed on a loan basis to long-term, loving homes. But they will always return to New Beginnings if circumstances change, guaranteeing a secure future. This long-term commitment requires investment of a lot of time and money so any financial support or sponsorship is always welcome. As part of its fundraising activity the charity hosts and attends events – such as the New Beginnings Annual Charity Ball at York Racecourse on February 25.

“We are so grateful to York Racecourse for its support of our event and the work we do,” says Pam. “The Charity Ball is an occasion for us to raise vital funds, but it’s also an opportunity to say thank you for the support we gain from our volunteers and friends as well as local businesses like York Racecourse.”

The Charity Ball starts at 7pm on February 25 and includes a drinks reception, three-course meal with Live Music, featuring The Maestros, a charity auction, raffle, bar and dancing until the small hours. All for a ticket price of just £55 per person, or £495 for a table of 10.

To book tickets for this Black Tie evening of entertainment visit buytickets.at/newbeginnings or
call Pam or Kevin on 01759 369810.

Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.