Racing yard worker, 20, broke her back twice in the space of seven months

Due to the severity of her injuries, Jess had to undergo surgery and wear braces to support her body.

She recalled: “I couldn’t work due to my injuries and the sick pay wasn’t enough. I was struggling so I had to sell my car to get some money. It was really tough and I just didn’t know what to do.”

Racing Welfare’s charity housing provider, Racing Homes, offered Jess affordable accommodation at Old Maltongate; the organisation’s property in Malton specifically for young people starting out in racing.

The charity manages 165 properties in the country’s biggest centres for the industry, including Newmarket, Lambourn, Epsom, Malton and Middleham.

It is “committed to providing housing to those in the horseracing community who would otherwise find it difficult to compete in the private rented sector at stages in their life when they need it most”. In Middleham, where the yards have trained hundreds of winners over the last few decades, the accommodation for yard staff has fallen far behind the trainers’ record on the track.

Yard staff say having accommodation close to the horses is vital as the working hours are tough in racing, including early starts and weekend and public holiday working.

While some yards are striving to address the situation, some of those working there continue to commute from as far afield as Darlington as they cannot afford accommodation locally.

As well as providing housing to older and retired people from the horseracing industry, the charity seeks to help those starting out in their horseracing careers. Racing Welfare says it aims “to create inclusive communities where our residents share common interests and experiences”, based on a determination to provide “affordable, safe, and pleasant homes that we would live in ourselves”.

Jess said: “I would have ended up going back home if it hadn’t been for Racing Welfare giving me somewhere affordable and safe to live.

“They’ve been brilliant and given me support to help me pay my rent and when things were really tough, they made a referral to the local food bank for me as well as giving me food vouchers.

“It’s been really tough but Racing Welfare has helped me so much. I’ve been in a bad situation but there are others who are worse off than me – I realise just how lucky I am.”

Racing Welfare has also arranged physiotherapy rehabilitation for Jess, paying for her to attend sessions at the Injured Jockeys Fund rehab centre – Jack Berry House.

The centre, which was opened by Princess Anne in 2015, provides an underwater treadmill, hydrotherapy pool, horserace simulators, a gym and respite accommodation to help jockeys recover.

Jack Berry House was among numerous venues racing fans descended on as part of Racing Welfare’s annual series of events earlier this month to highlight the care the industry gives to its workers as well as the thoroughbreds.

Trainers Ruth Carr, Mick and David Easterby, Tim Easterby, Richard Fahey, Roger Fell and Sean Murray, Suzzanne France, Adrian Keatley, Craig Lidster, Fionn McSharry, Adrian Nicholls, Ollie Pears, John and Sean Quinn and Mike Sowersby opened their gates so visitors could meet the horses and see what a day-in-the-life entails at racing yards.

After partnering with York Racecourse to offer a combined ticket to attend the ARC Malton Open Day and the YorkMix Family Sunday meeting, and despite a deluge of rain, a total of 1,028 tickets were sold, including 330 on the day itself.

It has been estimated the event raised £10,000 for Racing Welfare, with the proceeds going towards helping local racing yard staff including Jess Harper.

Venetia Wrigley, Racing Welfare trustee and Malton Open Day Committee chair, said despite "very dubious weather”, the atmosphere had been good and the yards had “welcomed everyone with open arms”.

She added the event’s highlights included John Fairley’s talk about his mare Highfield Princess, homemade cakes and gleaming horses at Mikey Sowersby’s yard, a trip with Ruth Carr on her tractor and trailer, and the facilities and banter from Richard Fahey and Robin O’Ryan at Musley Bank.