Chester Race Company announce plans to deliver a learning enrichment programme with the aim of engaging with pupils from Year 7, right through to school leaver age.

This year an economic impact study found that Chester Race Company contributed £54.1 million of expenditure per annum in the local economy and supports some 974 gross Full Time Equivalent jobs. In addition to driving commercial revenue, employment and footfall to the city of Chester and local surrounding areas, it has been the pledge of the Race Company to develop ways to support local groups and engage with a wider network of individuals, creating a positive impact within the local community.

A successful ‘Project 1000’ initiative, now in its third year, involves employees of Chester Race Company committing 1000 volunteering hours to charities in the local area annually and the company continues to build strong links with local charities and community groups.

Earlier in the year, Chester Race Company approached Bishop Heber High School with a new proposition to facilitate future growth and opportunity within a new area; the education sector. The proposal; for Chester Race Company to deliver a learning enrichment programme with the aim of engaging with pupils from Year 7, right through to school leaver age.

Based in Malpas Cheshire, Bishop Heber High School has 1,300 pupils between the ages of 11 – 18 and maintains a reputation of excellence within the local area. Chester Race Company, in close consultation with the education charity Racing to School and in answer to curriculum requirements for Bishop Heber High School, have devised a programme of enterprising activities, talks and workshops to engage with pupils across each school year. It is hoped that where available, pupils highly interested in the programme can then discover the opportunities available with Chester Race Company, as they progress through their school career.

The objectives behind the programme are to educate students about the diverse nature of the Race Company, whilst informing them about the opportunities available to them as school leavers within the sporting leisure and hospitality sector. A range of engaging experiences will be delivered via fun, informative activities throughout the school year, with pupils invited to interact with staff members from Chester Race Company spanning a diverse mix of areas.

At the end of the programme, The Race Company hope to provide real opportunities for those interested in career progression with the Race Company and highlight potential candidates for apprenticeship/employment opportunities at the end of the term.

The programme will begin at the start of November with an enterprise workshop day for Year 9 pupils and an apprenticeship and careers talk for Sixth-formers.

Chester Race Company Chief Executive, Richard Thomas, said: “We are pleased to be able to bring to fruition the next phase of our corporate social responsibility strategy through the delivery of this special programme. I would like to thank Headteacher David Curry and Bishop Heber for allowing us to engage with pupils in this new project. We hope the programme will prove engaging for those who take part and that we provide some prospective opportunities for those making decisions as they near the end of the school careers.”

Headteacher of Bishop Heber High School, David Curry, said: “We were thrilled to be approached by Chester Race Company with the opportunity to work collaboratively in delivering a bespoke programme of enrichment for our student body. The programme will provide our students with the opportunity to think about their options as they progress through their school career and open their eyes to the diverse world of work once they leave.”