Weston Park Cancer Charity welcomes well-known broadcaster as Race Evening presenter

Alongside a love of horse racing – shown in his many years reporting on the sport for a long list of television and radio names, including the BBC, Talksport, Cheltenham Radio, ITV Racing and Sky Sports – the 37-year-old has a personal connection to Weston Park Cancer Charity which spurred his decision to support the event on June 2nd.

Bobby’s father, Bob, passed away in 2008 aged 50 due to an aggressive form of melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Bob was treated at Weston Park, his son saying that while the cancer was unfortunately ‘uncontrollable’, the support he and his family received helped them through some of their darkest days.

Bobby said:

“I’m a big supporter of Weston Park Cancer Charity, because I’m not only aware of the amazing work that goes on day in, day out, but I’ve also had that experience myself.

“I think it’s great what Weston Park offers – not just supporting people going through this horrible disease, but providing the care and after-care for families, and making people aware of what help is available.

“The Race Evening is a good way to really showcase that tremendous work, while at the same time raising money for a fantastic cause.”

Bobby has supported Weston Park Cancer Charity for several years, holding a Cheltenham preview night in February 2020 which raised around £1,500. His fundraising has been backed by some of sport’s biggest names including Sir A. P. McCoy and Nick Matthew.

“One thing I’m particularly keen to fund is research into melanoma,” said Bobby, referring to Weston Park Cancer Charity’s funding of research and clinical trials.

“I don’t want other people to go through what my dad and my family went through.

“As a family, it was the worst time of our lives knowing that dad wasn’t going to be there any more, he was never going to be a grandad and meet his grandkids.

“To lose a parent at any age is tough, but it was very hard to lose him at 50 when I was only 22.”

June 2nd will be an even more poignant day for Bobby who returns to Doncaster Racecourse, the site of many childhood trips that solidified his love of racing – and a favourite venue of his dad, a longstanding patron who now has a memorial bench there.

Bobby will be presenting from the parade ring at Doncaster Racecourse on the evening, and will also announce the winner of Weston Park Cancer Charity’s ‘best dressed’ competition – which sees guests asked to wear their best outfits featuring the charity’s trademark purple.

Bobby added:

“Doncaster’s my favourite course – I always wanted to be a presenter there.

“I’ve got very happy childhood memories from there, so to now be there as the face and voice of Doncaster, in support of Weston Park Cancer Charity, is quite surreal.”

Weston Park Cancer Charity is offering free entry tickets to cancer patients and their families, and to staff from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Cancer Services. This is thanks to the Doncaster Racecourse team, who have donated the tickets for patients and their families.

The charity’s first five race evenings have raised almost £200,000 for the charity. That is enough to fund 20 research nurses for three months – or 8,000 hours of time spent coordinating crucial clinical trials and supporting patients. Alternatively, the money is enough to fund three of the charity’s free shuttle buses for 15 years, or allow support staff to answer 5,500 helpline calls from people facing cancer or their loved ones.

Weston Park Cancer Charity head of fundraising, Darren Hayes, added:

“We pride ourselves not only on providing the best possible treatment and support, but doing so in a way which puts the one in two people facing cancer diagnoses and their loved ones at the heart of everything we do.

Knowing the tremendous impact a diagnosis can have, offering for people to have an evening out on us is a small gesture. But it’s one that we know, from our past five evenings, can provide a bit of respite, a good laugh and some great memories.”

Tickets will be available online up until Thursday June 1st, and are either collected on the day, sent out in the post, or picked up from the Charity Hub on Whitham Road, Broomhall, Sheffield, S10 2SJ.