2 days ago
Woman holds alternative Ladies Day in back garden for forty years
A woman who missed a train to Ladies Day at Royal Ascot in 1982 and held a garden party at her Lancashire home instead has turned the "joyful" gathering into an annual Gamester from Skelmersdale said missing the trip was devastating for her and her friends, who were "all dolled up in our finery", and one of their group "started crying because she'd been so excited"."Undeterred, I invited everyone back to my garden, we popped the champagne, ran our own book and gave the proceeds to charity," she alternative Ladies Day tradition has continued for the past 40 years, and grown to the point she even hired Aintree Racecourse for more than 500 women.
"We had a wonderful time in my garden that first year," Ms Gamester told BBC Radio Lancashire."We went to Royal Ascot the following year and everybody said to me 'Paula it was better in your garden, we had a better time' and that was how it all started."The following year I just invited everybody back and it's just grown."Eventually the party got too big for the garden and moved to the local church "then that became too small and we ended up hiring Aintree Racecourse", Ms Gamester said."We had a look-a-like Prince Charles and it was just great fun."We've used Aintree for many years now and generated income for Alder Hey Children's Hospital."But this year Ladies Day is returning to her back garden in West Lancashire.
Ms Gamester's 92-year-old mum recently underwent surgery for a heart condition, so this year, all the money raised will go to the British Heart said her mother " just loves coming along, so this year is a special one for my mum and all of her friends. "She is a character, we call her the duchess she is an inspiration."There will be about 25 women all done up to the nines."It's brought lots of joy to women across Lancashire and Merseyside."The Thursday of the Royal Meeting at the Berkshire racecourse when the Gold Cup is held has been known as Ladies Day since about 1823, when an anonymous poet described "Ladies Day… when the women, like angels, look sweetly divine." About 270,000 people are expected to attend with a strict dress code allowing racegoers to flaunt their finery.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
