Newbury Racecourse Support The Waterside Centre Following Christmas Light Switch On Fundraiser

Newbury Racecourse played host to Newbury’s official Christmas light switch on afterparty in November with the event doubling as a fundraiser for The Waterside Centre, Berkshire Youth’s newest flagship youth and community centre.

The sell-out event saw actress and presenter, Denise van Outen, play a headline DJ set as hundreds of guests partied the night away to kickstart the festive season.

All proceeds from the evening – totalling £930.03 – were donated to The Waterside Centre, which provides a safe place for all young people to access support whilst providing a hub for the local community around Newbury to connect and network.

The centre offers a broad range of activities and opportunities for young people, including paddle and water sports, climbing, boxing and youth clubs as well as dance, art and music.

Newbury Racecourse’s Chief Executive, Shaun Hinds, visited the centre to make the donation in person and commented: “We are delighted to be able to make a donation to such a brilliant local cause.

The Waterside Centre is a fantastic facility, benefiting so many young people and it’s been a privilege for us to get to know some of the team and in our own small way, make a donation to help the centre continue their great work.’’

Sarah Emery, Chief Executive Officer at Berkshire Youth, welcomed the donation: ‘’I’m a firm believer in it taking ‘a village to raise a child’, or a town to raise young people and here in Newbury we’re really lucky that we receive support from a number of businesses and organisations.

The donation from Newbury Racecourse is absolutely vital for us. It helps us keep our doors open and at a time where funding has never been lower for youth services, it’s essential for us and for the young people of Newbury and we’re incredibly grateful.”

About Berkshire Youth

Berkshire Youth is a leading charity dedicated to supporting and empowering young people across Berkshire. With over 80 years of experience, the organisation works closely with communities to provide safe spaces, meaningful opportunities, and tailored support for young people aged 8 to 25. Through a combination of youth clubs, mentoring programmes, outreach work, and partnerships with schools and local organisations, Berkshire Youth aims to help young people realise their potential, improve their mental health, and build essential life skills. Their mission is to inspire, engage, and enable young people to lead positive, fulfilling lives while contributing to their communities.

BERKSHIRE YOUTH

To find out more about The Waterside Centre and the services and support it offers please visit below.

THE WATERSIDE CENTRE

2025 is shaping up to be a busy year at Newbury Racecourse – for information on all the events the Racecourse will be hosting please visit below.

INFORMATION AND EVENTS