Rugby MP Mark Pawsey with his Grand National charity bet at Coral in the town centre, in support of Futures Unlocked
Local MP Mark Pawsey visited Rugby’s Coral store on the High Street ahead of Saturday’s Grand National to place a £50 charity bet, in support of local charity Futures Unlocked.
Mark’s each-way bet on Big Dog, who finished fifth, meant that he won £300 which will be donated by members of the Betting and Gaming Council to support the great work of local charity Futures Unlocked, who work with ex-offenders to help them turn their lives around.
The Betting and Gaming Council, the standards body for the regulated UK betting and gaming industry, invites MPs every year to visit a local betting shop in their constituency to place their charity bet ahead of the Grand National – the world’s greatest steeplechase. The Grand National is the most popular horse race in the world and was won on Saturday 15th April by Corach Rambler. It is watched by around 600 million people across 140 countries, and it is estimated over 13 million adults in the UK place a bet on the race every year.
Betting shops support 42,000 jobs on the UK’s hard-pressed high streets, contribute £800 million a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60m in business rates to local councils, helping to fund vital local services. In addition, a study by ESA Retail found that 89 per cent of betting shop customers combine their trip to the bookies with visits to other high street businesses, helping to boost footfall in our town centres.
Speaking after the Grand National, Mark commented:
"The Grand National is one of those great sporting moments watched by millions of people around the world and enjoyed by many of my constituents here in Rugby and Bulkington. It was a pleasure to visit Coral in Rugby’s town centre and speak to staff and customers ahead of the race and help to raise money for the incredibly important work of Futures Unlocked.”
Mark continued:
“I was also able to discuss the work which Coral and the Betting and Gaming Council have been doing on safer gambling, so that my constituents can enjoy this pastime. Bookies also provide a vital presence on the high streets and help to encourage people into our town centres.”
Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, added:
"Millions of people, from all different backgrounds, will be coming together to watch the Grand National and place a bet on the world’s most famous horserace. Betting shops support tens of thousands of jobs, bring vital revenue to the UK’s hard-pressed high streets and support the national and local economies through tax and business rates. I also want to say a huge thanks to MPs, like Mark who have made the time and effort to meet with their local constituents working in high street shops, for backing so many good causes and local charities, and for promoting the Grand National which remains one of Britain’s biggest and best cultural and sporting events seen around the world”.