Farmers to spread festive cheer with charity tractor runs

Farmers are preparing to provide festive cheer to the public by hosting several tractor charity parades in the run up to Christmas.

In recent years, tractor charity runs have become a regular feature of December and have grown in popularity.

See also: Pictures: Christmas tractor run raises thousands for charity

Farmers spend hours trussing up their tractors with twinkly lights and tinsel to take part in the processions.

Merseyside farmer Olly Harrison co-ordinated one of the biggest and most successful tractor charity runs in the Liverpool area last December, raising more than £60,000 for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Mr Harrison, who is well known for his YouTube channel, Olly Blogs Agricontract Farmer, says a tractor run will be taking place on Sunday 18 December this year.

More than 100 farmers will be decorating their tractors to take part in the event, which will again raise funds for Alder Hey and provide food for food banks through the Fans Supporting Foodbanks initiative.

“Last year’s event was amazing. I had never seen so many people,” said Mr Harrison.

“Our route takes up through the city centre of Liverpool and also through areas of the city where some people have never seen a tractor before. We hope people will come out in their droves again this year to give us their support.”

Mr Harrison said more details of this year’s event will be released on his social media platforms – Instagram (@agricontract_ollyblogs), TikTok (@ollyblogsagricontract), and Twitter (@agricontract) – in the coming days.

Other charity tractor runs

Meanwhile, other farmers across the UK are gearing up to host Christmas charity tractor runs in their regions.

More than 100 tractors are expected to take part in the Bridgnorth Festive Charity Tractor Run, in Shropshire, on the evening of Saturday 11 December.

Funds raised will be donated to Hope House Children’s Hospices.

The new Vale of Llangollen Rotary and Llangollen and District Young Farmers’ Association are organising a tractor run which will visit Chirk and St Martins on Saturday 4 December.

In Warwickshire, a Christmas charity tractor parade, organised by the Sheepy and District Ploughing Association, will take place over two nights across Nuneaton, Bedworth and Atherstone on Friday 9 December and Saturday 10 December.

In Lancashire, the Turton Young Farmers’ Club charity Christmas Tractor Run will be returning for a second year on Sunday 4 December.

The event will start at about 4pm leaving from Brocklehead Farm, in Darwen. Proceeds are being raised for the Bolton Mountain Rescue charity.