Pink Ladies Tractor Run 2024 raises £60k for cancer research

The annual Pink Ladies’ Tractor Road Run returned last weekend (Sunday 7 July) for its 20th anniversary, raising funds for Cancer Research UK’s breast cancer appeal.

Nearly 200 women turned out on tractors to drive the 20-mile route through south Norfolk and north Suffolk in a convoy of decorated tractors swathed in pink.

The route, which started in Thorpe Abbotts, travelled through Brockdish and Upper Weybread, Harleston and Redenhall, before returning back to Thorpe Abbotts airfield.

See also: Farmers achieve great feats for charity in first half of 2024

© Jono Slack

Last year, the annual event reached a huge milestone and saw the Pink Ladies raise more than £200,000, taking the total amount raised to more than £1 million.

Organiser Annie Chapman said: “What an amazing achievement for a bunch of ladies on tractors, to have raised over £1 million in 20 years for breast cancer research.

“Cancer hasn’t gone away, so we must continue to raise funds for this very worthwhile cause.”

Audrey Alexander from Bush Green has been taking part in the Pink Ladies tractor run since 2005, and says that the event is marked out in her diary each year.

“The tractor I take is a grey Massey Ferguson, which was the first tractor purchased by my late father-in-law to be used on the farm.

“After its useful life, it was left in the nettles – but it was resurrected by my husband and son and it’s helped to raise a lot of money over the years.”

While the organisers feared that there would be a dip in numbers attending this year, 194 ladies signed up to take part. More than 60 were new to the event and many lived locally in south Norfolk and north Suffolk.

Annie said: “As with any event of this size, it cannot be achieved without the support of many people.

“I would like to express my thanks to all tractor owners, landowners, the many marshals, collecting ladies and anyone else who helps to make this event happen. It’s a large team effort.”

So far, this year’s event has raised about £60,000, and donations can still be made online.