Calling all Belles & Beaus for Cartmel Charity Race Night!

Cartmel Racecourse will be the setting for a special race night on 25th August – it’s their first ever Charity Race night and the beneficiary will be St Mary's Hospice. In addition to all the fun associated with racing at Cartmel, there will be an emphasis on fashion as there will be prizes for the best dressed racegoers and a special “Belles and Beaus” Enclosure for the fashion conscious to enjoy a range of fundraising activities.

Local business-woman Tracy Wells thinks that the charity event will be a huge attraction and is using her business links to ensure that a wide range of local companies and individuals become involved in the day. The milliner, who also runs a hairdressing business, says “There are many ladies who’d love the opportunity to glam up and show off their finery – so what occasion than to get dressed up for the races!”

“The hospice is a very worthy cause and many of us have personal reasons for focusing all our efforts on these fundraising activities – in my own case, they showed great care and compassion to my mother in her final days”.

There will be prizes for both the best dressed female racegoer (the Belle) and the best dressed male racegoer (the Beau). The first prize for the ladies will be provided by Sue Shields Face and Body Spa in conjunction with Clarins UK – a spa day for two at Sue Shields Face and Body Spa in Carnforth and a Clarins hamper worth £300. Other generous prizes contributed by local companies include: fashion shoots from Kells photographic images of Barrow; jewellery from Sienna (Kirby Lonsdale); designer gift vouchers from phoebe (Ulverston); a bespoke fascinator voucher from The Hat Box (Barrow); a pair of binoculars from Lamberts (Lancaster) and one night’s bed and breakfast for two at the Green Castle Hotel in Kendal.

The Belles and Beaus Enclosure will be located adjacent to the Grandstand, within the Paddock Enclosure, and will be decorated by Efflorescence, Bay View Garden Centre and Gas Bagz Balloons and entrance will be through a special arch provided by Haverigg prison. Music will be provided by The Two of Us and Voce. Although no strict dress code will be enforced, it is hoped that racegoers will rise to the occasion and that women will wear hats or fascinators while the men will wear jackets. All racegoers will be invited to donate £5 or more to St Mary’s Hospice in return for a corsage or buttonhole, which will admit them to the Belles & Beaus Enclosure as well as demonstrate their support for the popular local charity.

For those looking for exclusive dining and hospitality, there will be a Charity Lunch starting at 2.00pm on the raceday in the superb Louis Roederer Restaurant with a view of the race track. The sumptuous three course meal will be followed by tea at 5.30pm and racing. The package costs £150 per person, £50 of which will go directly to the charity.

For further information on 25th August call the Grandstand office on 015395 36340 or visit www.cartmel-racecourse.co.uk