Wetherby Racecourse have worked in association with Spinal Research for over 34 years on their ‘Northern Charity Raceday’ which was started in 1990 by Rachel Wright, a Yorkshire Point to Point rider who sustained a spinal injury in a riding accident when she was just 21. Rachel sadly passed away in 2006, after a long-life lived, but her event continues, taking place annually in October at the Opening Meeting of the new jump season.

The team at Wetherby have been inspired by the wonderful people they have met through the Spinal Research raceday event, including those directly impacted by a Spinal Injury, and their families and friends.

Recently, the racing world has been rocked by the life-changing spinal injury sustained in a racing accident by Jockey, Graham Lee. Graham was a regular around Wetherby Racecourse, during his many years as a Jump Jockey and latterly also over the Flat course and the team at Wetherby were all absolutely devastated at news of his injury.

Michelle, Maddy and Sara from Wetherby Racecourse are running the Great North Run to give back to an amazing organisation that are making life-changing differences to people like Graham, and Robert, Bel, Tara, Chris, Nicola, Harvey and Rachel, all people we have met through our journey with Spinal Research, all who have suffered spinal injury and all people we are in absolute awe of!

Make 2024 the year that you help Spinal Research find a cure and change the future of spinal cord injury for everyone!

We greatly appreciate all your support, thank you.

Spinal Research is the UK’s leading charity funding medical research around the world to develop effective treatments for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury. Every year 1,000 people in the UK and Ireland are paralysed following an injury to their spinal cord.

We receive no government funding and rely entirely on the support of the public to raise funds for our research. Because of the efforts of our supporters, we have funded innovative medical research that has achieved a number of ground breaking changes in the field.