Before speaking to Karen Sharpe, a quick search offered a telling glimpse of what was to come: old tweets warning jockeys of road closures, fundraising pages, racecourse collections for the IJF and an Unsung Hero nomination. The detail varied, but the theme was very much the same.
An IJF Regional Welfare Liaison for the North, based in Penrith, Cumbria, Karen has been part of the IJF for 16 years. Her dedication was recognised last year when she received a Long Service Award, presented by the IJF’s Patron, HRH The Princess Royal.
Speaking to her, that first impression was only reinforced. Stoic in a crisis but warm, bubbly and instinctively a people person, Karen perhaps epitomises what the IJF is all about: being there when someone needs you most.
“I feel very lucky to be one of those people who gets to do a job that genuinely makes them happy. The IJF is held in such high esteem, and to be part of an organisation that does so much for people is something I never take for granted. It’s a privilege every day.
When people get injured, people’s responses are, gosh, I wish I could do something to help, when actually I’m in the very lucky position to actually be able to do that.
The biggest shift during my time as a welfare liaison has been the development of the three centres and two hubs. When I first started, we didn’t have any of that, so we had to scratch around a bit to find some of the support people needed. Now it’s all there, in-house, and we’re able to deliver a 360° service. To be able to offer that level of service to everybody, our beneficiaries included, is huge.
I cover the whole of the north and Scotland, so my cohort is very spread out. It means there are a few more logistics involved in bringing everyone together, and people can be more isolated. When I arrange for beneficiaries to meet up, I try to move the location around each time so everyone gets a chance to have it closer to home. It’s about being mindful of things like that and making sure everyone feels included.
Recently we had a coffee morning with 20 of our beneficiaries at Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott. It’s a lovely setting with a café, so we can get everyone together for a catch-up, and afterwards, if they want to, they can have a wander around the grounds. Someone walked in and said, “Oh my goodness, Jackie, I haven’t seen you for years.” Moments like that make you think, that’s why we do these things. It just makes it all the more rewarding
We’ve also had race days in Carlisle this year, with around 40 beneficiaries coming along. We’ve got a lovely race day coming up in Kelso, where we’re hoping to bring together more than 100 people – a mix of beneficiaries, trainers, jockeys and local racing people. Creating those opportunities to reconnect and build a sense of community is a big part of what we do.
We always try to plan and prepare, but you also have to be flexible because so much of the role is about responding when something has gone wrong or someone is facing a difficult situation. You never quite know what’s going to come through the door next or what support someone might need, so you have to be able to adapt, respond to the situation and recognise when something needs to take priority.
The job I do is one where, in an ideal world, you wouldn’t have much to do. You’d be nice and quiet, because that would mean everything was going well for everyone. Unfortunately, that’s not how life works.
I also work with Aintree during the Grand National meeting, which has always worked really well alongside my role. The two jobs go hand in hand because I’m there on site throughout the day and have access to all areas, so if somebody gets injured, I’m able to offer support straight away. It’s such a fabulous meeting and I really enjoy being there, seeing so many different people. Being visible is important too – people know you’re around and, over time, you become a familiar face.
It’s been a great year for the northerners, with Katie Scott and Jim Goldie, and across Yorkshire, Karl Burke’s team have been doing brilliantly. More importantly, it’s been fantastic to see Clifford Lee, who suffered that horrendous injury last year, make a full recovery and return so strongly. The resilience he showed throughout was extraordinary, and seeing him come back and do so well has been a real delight.
Do you know what? There are so many wonderful people and characters I’ve met through the IJF, I wouldn’t even know where to start. But a recent example really stayed with me.
Just last week, I made a home visit to a husband and wife in Glasgow. Sadly, he now has dementia, and we were chatting when I showed him the brilliant video of Jack Berry that had just come out. It’s eight minutes of the most fabulous viewing, and as he watched it, it was as if something came flooding back. His eyes lit up. For that moment, you could see the memories were still there.
I think the social media we’re doing now is brilliant for exactly that reason. Afterwards, they were asking how Ray Still was, an old friend from Newmarket, and luckily he had recently featured in a lovely piece on social media too, so I was able to show them that. Those little moments can make such a difference. You can see the lift it gives someone when, even though they might be 300 miles apart, they still feel connected and are able to check in on old friends.
And Jack Berry brightens up everybody’s day. He’s a very special man – absolutely extraordinary.
We had a mobility and Pilates class yesterday, followed by tea and sandwiches, which is another way we try to bring people together. Jack was there for the mobility class, although I couldn’t persuade him to stay for Pilates. He said he’d eaten a few too many chips by then!
But that’s Jack. He’s extraordinary, and he epitomises so much of what we all strive to be. He has an incredible spirit, and one of the most special things for me has been having the privilege of working alongside him all these years. It’s been a real treat.
I always describe the IJF a bit like an iceberg. People see the bit above the water – the centres and jockeys rehabbing – but there’s so much more happening underneath that they don’t see. My cohort is predominantly retired jockeys and beneficiaries, and because everything we do is confidential, there’s a huge amount of support that happens behind the scenes. We don’t make a song and dance about it; we just get on with it.
That’s why I enjoy being at the racecourses and having the opportunity to talk to people and give them a better understanding of everything the IJF does.
And Hexham racegoers are fabulous. I’m very lucky. There might only be 1,000 people there, but you could sell £1,000 worth of IJF merchandise because they’re proper, dyed-in-the-wool racing fans.
It’s quite funny because sometimes I’ll move the table somewhere out of the wind and people will come along saying, “Where is she? She’s not here.” I’m only around the corner, but they’ll come looking for me because they’ve come especially to buy their Christmas cards.
It’s incredibly heartwarming. It shows just how much the IJF means to people and how strong that connection with the racing community really is.”
This article has been kindly written by Georgia Cox for the IJF.