HWPA members are part of the racing community and eligible for help from Racing Welfare.
The charity has reiterated that they are there to try to offer support where they can. Clearly, for many HWPA members, especially freelancers and the self-employed, this will relate to financial hardship specifically.
But Racing Welfare also can offer advice and guidance services.
Listed below is the information we have been given by Racing Welfare with contact details.
If you need to access them, please explain you are a member of the Horserace Writers & Photographers Association.
• Please advise anyone who contacts the HWPA suffering with financial hardship that Racing Welfare is here and ready provide advice and support, including helping them to access statutory benefits. We will assess each person’s need for a hardship grant on an individual basis and guide them through this process
• People can call us on Racing’s Support Line 0800 6300 443 24hrs a day where our team will take their details and have a member of our welfare team call them back. Please do bear with as we work to help everyone during this incredibly busy time.
• If phoning during office hours (9-5, Mon-Fri), they can get through to a member of their local welfare team on the numbers below (anyone outside of these areas should call the Racing’s Support Line and a local roving officer will call them back):
o Malton: 01653 696 869
o Middleham: 01969 624 123
o Lambourn: 01488 670 034
o Newmarket: 01638 560 763
• Alternatively go to the racingwelfare.co.uk and click on the live chat link to speak to an advisor who will follow the same process as for a call to the Support Line.
• Text number is 07860 079 043.