Hundreds of schoolchildren experienced the power of sport within their local community at the inaugural City of Sporting Excellence event, where three of Liverpool’s top sporting institutions united to inspire the next generation.
Aintree Racecourse, the LFC Foundation and Everton in the Community came together to create an unforgettable day of sport and education ahead of the 2025 Randox Grand National (Saturday 5th April). The event offered young people a unique opportunity to engage with Liverpool’s strong heritage of sporting brilliance and to learn from some of Merseyside's greatest sporting heroes.
Among the famous faces who shared their expertise and stories were football legends Ian Snodin, John Barnes, Chris Kirkland and Natasha Dowie as well as Grand National-winning jockey Daryl Jacob. The inspiring insights from the sporting superstars provided students with a real sense of the opportunities sport can offer, both in their community and beyond.
Held at the home of the Randox Grand National, Aintree Racecourse, the event saw local schoolchildren participate in a wide range of hands-on activities, including football coaching, robot coding, Equicizor demonstrations, pony care and exploring the anatomy of a racehorse. Students were also given the chance to meet retired racehorses and to go behind the scenes at Aintree Racecourse, where horseracing has been staged for almost 200 years.
Dickon White, Regional Director at Aintree Racecourse, said: "Liverpool has a rich sporting heritage that spans generations and disciplines; from football to horseracing and beyond.
“By giving young people the opportunity to engage with the city's iconic sporting institutions, we are not only opening their eyes to what is available on their doorsteps but also showing them the incredible paths sport can offer. This city is a living testament to the power of sport in shaping lives, inspiring dreams, and creating futures.
“We are thrilled to have partnered with Liverpool and Everton Football Clubs to provide an inspiring day that showcases the power of sport to bring people together and to fuel the aspirations of future generations.”
Gemma Smith, head of programmes at LFC Foundation, added: “It’s fantastic to see these three organisations come together to put on this event for these young people and show them what this city has to offer. It’s vital we work together to provide opportunities for our communities and use the power of sport to raise their aspirations and show them what is possible for their futures.”
Everton Ambassador, Ian Snodin said: “An opportunity to grace such an iconic venue not just in horse racing, but in sport is absolutely fantastic for the children. Having witnessed the array of activities on show today, it’s fair to say they’ve enjoyed themselves and been kept busy!
“I love everything about this racecourse, so to see it in a different light today has been really interesting for me.”
ABOUT THE DAY
Schools involved with the day were:
- Litherland High School
- Croxteth Academy
- The North Liverpool Academy
- Formby High School
- Lord Derby Acadamy
- King's Leadership Phoenix Academy
- Bank View
- Maricourt School
- Salesian Academy
EVERTON IN THE COMMUNITY
As the charitable arm of Everton Football Club, Everton in the Community is committed to building brighter futures and creating stronger communities through its 60+ programmes and projects. Established in 1988, its programmes have been specifically designed and developed to tackle the region’s deepest rooted social issues such as inequality, health disparities, educational attainment, poverty, mental health and unemployment with a resolute commitment to making a tangible difference.
THE LFC FOUNDATION
The LFC Foundation is the official charity of Liverpool Football Club and aims to tackle social inequalities in its communities and raise aspirations for people of all ages across the Liverpool City Region. In the last year alone, the charity supported over 127,000 people and recently launched a new strategy which aims to be supporting 500,000 people per year by 2030, with a focus on three key pillars of health, learning and employability.
AINTREE RACECOURSE AND THE JOCKEY CLUB
Our Community Engagement programme aims to showcase our sport with local people though the horse and the affection of the Grand National. The programme works with Liverpool FC Foundation, Everton in the Community, Park Palace Ponies, the Peter O’Sullevan Trust and local schools, among others. In 2024, The Jockey Club pledged to provide 100,000 opportunities for young people to experience racing over the next decade. This is part of a long-term strategy to inspire the next generation of racing fans by creating repeated engagement with young people who might not otherwise have had a chance to experience the joy of horseracing.
