On Track, Off Course Racing Welfare

In the last episode of this series, Lauren and Tina are joined by ITV Racing presenter Ed Chamberlin. It is an emotional conversation that covers everything from the personal struggles of living with cancer to the long term impact on Ed's family.

Lauren and Tina also speak to Racing Welfare's own director of welfare, Simone Sear who details the wide breadth of services the charity can offer to people with a cancer diagnosis and to those caring for someone with cancer.

We also hear from Chrissie Sykes, racing secretary to Ruth Carr, who is on a mission to break down the stigma and embarrassment men feel about going to the doctor after her own husband suffered with symptoms for two years before speaking to his doctor.

Racing Welfare's services are open to anyone who works in or is retired from, the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. If you would like to get in touch for support you can contact Racing Welfare 24/7 by calling 0800 6300 443 or go to our website www.racingwelfare.co.uk

Follow Racing Welfare on social media for all our latest news and events. We are on Facebook @racingwelfare, Twitter @Racingwelfare and Instagram @racingwelfare.

You can find Ed on Instagram @edchamberlin

In this week's episode, Lauren and Tina hear from jockey Kieran Shoemark who talks openly about his positive test for cocaine, his battle with alcohol addiction and his inspiring road to recovery.

We also hear from Ruth Croft, a Youth Engagement Manager at Turning Point who tells us about the devastating impact that even recreational drug use can have on young people and families, including involvement in county lines.

Jo Devereux from Care first, who partner with Racing Welfare to bring Racing's Support Line to the industry, talks through what happens if you call the support line with an addiction issue. Jo gives reassurance around confidentiality and the support given to anyone struggling with addiction or anyone who is supporting an addict.

Racing Welfare's services are open to anyone who works in or is retired from, the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. If you would like to get in touch for support you can contact Racing Welfare 24/7 by calling 0800 6300 443 or go to our website www.racingwelfare.co.uk

Follow Racing Welfare on social media for all our latest news and events. We are on Facebook @racingwelfare, Twitter @Racingwelfare and Instagram @racingwelfare.

Lauren and Tina were over the moon to be joined by Love Island Star and ITV Racing Presenter, Chris Hughes for this Mental Health Awareness Week Episode. Chris opens up about his own mental health struggles and talks about what has helped him to pull through.

Lauren and Tina also chat to Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Duncan Law about why getting out in nature plays such a significant role in looking after your mental health.

To fill in the crucial Industry Wellbeing Survey that is mentioned please go to https://horseracingindustry.gooddayatwork.co.uk/Login.aspx.

Racing Welfare's services are open to anyone who works in or is retired from, the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. If you would like to get in touch for support you can contact Racing Welfare 24/7 by calling 0800 6300 443 or go to our website www.racingwelfare.co.uk

Follow Racing Welfare on social media for all our latest news and events. We are on Facebook @racingwelfare, Twitter @Racingwelfare and Instagram @racingwelfare.

In episode three of series two Lauren and Tina are joined by husband and wife, Dan and Grace Skelton who open up about the pressures of work and family life when you are one of the country's biggest trainers. Dan is as forthcoming as you would expect and they were both incredibly open and honest during this conversation - it is definitely worth a listen!

Lauren and Tina also speak to Helen Brewis from Robertson Cooper, workforce wellbeing specialists, who have been heavily involved in an industry survey that has been launched to get baseline data on wellbeing across the industry as a whole. The survey will be used to inform the strategy of the industry's wellbeing committee going forward and will be an incredibly important piece of work. Follow the link below to complete the survey: https://horseracingindustry.gooddayatwork.co.uk/Login.aspx?prog=c7715ddb-04c1-45b2-b093-876f4ba8da1c

Racing Welfare's services are open to anyone who works in or is retired from, the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. If you would like to get in touch for support you can contact Racing Welfare 24/7 by calling 0800 6300 443 or go to our website www.racingwelfare.co.uk

Follow Racing Welfare on social media for all our latest news and events. We are on Facebook @racingwelfare, Twitter @Racingwelfare and Instagram @racingwelfare.

In this episode of On Track, Off Course, Lauren and Tina talk to Andrea O'Keeffe, co-director of Jedd O'Keeffe racing with her husband Jedd. Andrea talks candidly about the stress and guilt of being a working mother and also explains some of the great flexible working practices she has put in place for their staff, particularly working mothers to show that it can be done.

Lauren and Tina also speak to Dr Kate-Clayton Hathway who was part of the team who did the Racing Home report for Women in Racing. “Racing Home: Working mothers in the horseracing industry” was the outcome of a year-long project undertaken by Women in Racing, Oxford Brookes University and Simply Racing funded by The Racing Foundation and Kindred Group. The project was launched in November 2019 at a symposium which was attended by 65+ key industry stakeholders. The event kick-started further discussion about what it feels like to be a working mother in the horseracing industry at a series of workshops/webinars with participants from across the sport. You can read the full report here: https://mcusercontent.com/ec882729ac5b97bfa175e39c1/files/aec5d5e3-a731-4438-8249-e34b0d78ace8/_RACING_HOME_a_report_highlighting_the_challenges_faced_by_working_mothers_in_the_horseracing_industry.pdf.

Racing Welfare's services are open to anyone who works in or is retired from, the thoroughbred racing and breeding industry. If you would like to get in touch for support you can contact Racing Welfare 24/7 by calling 0800 6300 443 or go to our website www.racingwelfare.co.uk

Follow Racing Welfare on social media for all our latest news and events. We are on Facebook @racingwelfare, Twitter @Racingwelfare and Instagram @racingwelfare.

Follow Andrea on Twitter @okeeffe_andrea and find out more about her and Jedd's training business here: http://www.jeddokeefferacing.co.uk/

You can find out more about Women in Racing by going to their website https://www.womeninracing.co.uk/

Hurrah! On Track, Off Course is back with a brand new series for 2021!

In Episode One of Series Two Lauren and Tina are joined by Racing TV Broadcaster Tom Stanley. Tom talks incredibly candidly about his unexpected experience of anxiety and also discusses his previous opinions on those suffering with anxiety prior to having first-hand experience. Tom was so open, this conversation is really worth a listen!

Lauren and Tina also chat to Dr Will McConn Palfreyman who gives both a professional and personal insight into anxiety and techniques for managing it.

Racing Welfare's services are open to anyone who works in, or is retired from, the thoroughbred breeding industry. If you would like to get in touch for support with your physical or mental health you can contact Racing Welfare 24/7 by calling 0800 6300 443 or go to our website www.racingwelfare.co.uk.

If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this episode and do not work in the industry you can call Samaritans 24/7 on 116 123.

Follow Racing Welfare on social media for all our latest news and events. We are on Facebook @racingwelfare, Twitter @Racingwelfare and Instagram @racingwelfare.

You can follow Tom on Twitter @_tomstanley_. The book that Tom recommends is A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled by Ruby Wax and the podcast he mentions featuring Rishi Persad and Richard Moat can be found here: audioboom.com/channels/5023526. We would heartily recommend both!

You can find Will on Twitter @WillMcConn and on his website https://www.mcconnpsychology.com/

Send us your comments and feedback to podcast@racingwelfare.co.uk

It's good to be back and we hope you enjoy!