MBNA and Chester Racecourse teamed up to give away more than 100 tickets for the annual Roman Day celebrations.

In coordination with the MBNA Community Investment Programme, Chester Racecourse donated more than 100 free tickets to families from local charities.

Financed by MBNA, local charities such as Koala North West, Cheshire Young Carers, and Save the Family benefited when 120 families were awarded complimentary tickets.

Not only did the families enjoy free entry to the event, but they were also treated to a picnic lunch.

These families, in their own private marquee on the Roodee, were offered a variety of activities throughout the venue making it a day to remember.

Among the benefiting charities was Koala North West, a welfare organisation assisting families across the North West with essential services, ranging from neonatal care to family wellness and early education.

Save the Family, another charity benefiting from this initiative, provides temporary shelter and round-the-clock support to homeless and at-risk families, in addition to Cheshire Young Carers which supports young people aged six to 14 who care for a family member.

Victoria Dowd, MBNA Community Investment Partnership manager, said: "Through the MBNA Community Investment Programme, we want to make sure local events, delivered by our partners, engage with families in and around Chester and help provide opportunities to spend quality time together making memories, with the Roman Day celebrations a perfect fit.

"This year’s event was another sell-out success and it’s fantastic to play a small role in ensuring families from our region can come along and make memories together.

"It was fantastic to bring together charity partners - Koala North West, Save the Family and Cheshire Young Carers - and offer local families a chance to relax and enjoy time together."

Echoing this sentiment, Kate Dawson, commercial director at Chester Racecourse, added: "We have been in partnership with MBNA for 14 years now and it’s great to work with the Community Investment Programme to identify opportunities within our local community to invite families to the racecourse.

"Alongside MBNA, we are committed to engaging with local charities and providing unforgettable moments to cherish at our events, including Roman Day and our annual Lord Mayor’s Fireworks Extravaganza, where we gift free tickets and provide complimentary food and drink.

"It’s a great way to give back to the community while also expanding the reach of our events programme."

Claire Worth, activity respite manager at Cheshire Young Carers, expressed her gratitude, saying: "It’s been great to offer our families tickets because they wouldn’t usually be able to afford something like this.

"For many of them, it was the first time that they’d experienced the races and been able to take part in the activities."

Emma Williams, family mentor at Save The Family, was equally appreciative, stating: "We can’t thank the MBNA Community Investment Fund and Chester Racecourse enough.

"These families wouldn’t normally be able to come to an event like this.

"Just seeing their faces when they arrived and the experiences – from seeing a helicopter landing to all the horses and activities – make it so amazing and we are ever so grateful for the support."

For more information on the MBNA Community Investment Programme, visit their website at https://www.mbna.co.uk/about-us/in-the-community.