'He's extremely important to our community' - Newmarket comes together to save job of racing chaplain Simon Bailey

Racing industry bodies and individuals across Newmarket and beyond have received high praise after 20 of them joined forces to put up the funding to save the job of much-respected local racing chaplain Simon Bailey.

The collective call came about after Richard Brown, bloodstock agent and advisor to Wathnan Racing, read a Postcard from Newmarket column which appeared in the Racing Post on May 2 about the planned job loss and how it would impact on the local racing and stud industries.  

Bailey, who has filled the role since 2014, was told by Racing Welfare in April that his contract would not be extended at the end of 2024 despite his excellent work with stable staff and others.  

During that decade, racing staff in need of support with a range of issues, particularly with coping with bereavement as well as social and mental health problems, have turned to Bailey.

Sports Chaplaincy UK, of which Bailey is a team leader, has had a successful partnership with Racing Welfare in Newmarket for more than 20 years

Now the 51-year-old will keep his role for at least a further three years after the help of pledges of £6,000 from 20 different sources which has raised £120,000, a figure Racing Welfare have agreed to match.

Richard Brown: worked hard behind the scenes to save the chaplaincyCredit: Alisha Meeder

Brown said: “Simon is an extremely important part of our community. I was shocked and disappointed to read that Racing Welfare were going to let him go so I had a bit of call around and everyone agreed that it was essential he remained in position. Racing Welfare then said they would match £120,00 over three years if we put up the same, and I’m delighted to say racing has come together and achieved this."

On how he had achieved his goal, Brown added: "Basically I called 20 to 25 people to get 20 pledges of £6,000 each and everyone was very keen to support it. Simon does tremendous work helping people who are not so fortunate and dealing with issues in the great way that he does.

"This funding will now mean he remains in place until 2027, but what’s very important is that we use the period until then to work out a sustainable way of funding that position going forwards. We’ve now got him, but now we’ve got three and a half years to ensure that we work out a way to keep him long term. These people who have put the money up have been great, but we can’t go back to them again so we need to find a way for the future.”

Bailey said: “I’d like to thank Richard Brown for all his help and to the 20 racing industry people and bodies who have pledged the money to keep the role of racing chaplain going. I can't thank everyone enough and I look forward to 2025 and beyond.”

The 20 who pledged funds are: Newsells Park, Juddmonte, Baker McVeigh International, Newmarket Equine Hospital, Ed Babbington, John Gosden, Tattersalls, Weatherbys Hamilton, Peter Stanley, Gainsborough, Godolphin, William Haggas, Kirsten Rausing, BBA (Shipping), Highflyer, Blandford Bloodstock, Sir Mark Prescott, Richard Brown, Jamie and Sarah Broughton and the Harris Family Trust.

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