A MALTON woman who works at Racing Welfare has been announced as a finalist for the 13th annual Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards - a unique event which rewards the exceptional individuals who care for racehorses in Great Britain.

Welfare Support Worker Sarah Monkman is nominated for the Rory MacDonald Community Award. As a finalist, she is now guaranteed a share of the £120,000 prize money, with every penny won being matched and donated to a charity of her choosing by sponsors Godolphin.

The Awards, organised by the British Horseracing Authority, recognise the dedication and skill of over 6,000 members of stable staff nationwide who provide first class care and attention for the 14,000 racehorses in training in Britain, providing them with a level of care and a quality of life that is virtually unsurpassed by any other domesticated animal.

Sarah took up her role as Welfare Support Worker in January 2015 and within 16 months she had set up a new community project and partnership with The Sporting Memories Foundation. The project aimed to link Racing Welfare’s current activities for aged 50+ and retired racing industry staff to the national Sporting Memories project, which promotes wellbeing through reminiscence.

Sarah’s determination led her to secure funding from the National Lottery and it has been such a success that Racing Welfare would like to scale it up to become a national project. Her innovative project has not only raised the profile of Racing Welfare to the wider community but crucially it has enabled British horseracing to be involved with a national sporting project.

Sarah is down to the final three in her category. The final judging takes place on Monday, February 20, when she is also invited to a special reception in the Houses of Parliament that day.

The winners will then be announced at an evening ceremony hosted by ITV Racing’s Ed Chamberlin at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in London.

Simone Sear of Racing Welfare, said: "Sarah has made a huge impact and difference to the Malton and Norton racing community since she started and she always goes above and beyond her role to make a difference.

Robin Mounsey, spokesperson for the British Horseracing Authority and the Horse Comes First campaign, said: "The Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards are a highlight of the racing calendar. It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate some of the heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes of British Racing. The staff being honoured by these Awards are a small selection of the individuals who make up the workforce within the racing industry, and it’s thanks to all 6,000+ of them that racehorses in Britain are among the healthiest and best looked after 2% of horses in the country.