Bridgnorth Christmas Tractor run is nearly here.

Shropshire Star

We chat to the founders of the popular Christmas Tractor run that starts and finishes in Bridgnorth.

Transcript

00:00We're up at Newhouse Farm, Shropshire, and it's that time of year lads, introduce yourselves.

00:05I'm Josh Barrett. I'm Tom Wellings. So this Bridgnorth tractor run, you guys founded it?

00:12Yeah, well this is our fourth year. We were in college when we did the first one, so we've

00:18found that, well, there was quite a few of these Christmas tractor runs starting out and about.

00:22There wasn't one in our area, so we thought, well, you know what, we'll give it a shot.

00:26And did you think it was going to become an annual fix? Was that the hope from the start?

00:30We'd hoped that people would like it and that it would take off,

00:34and yeah, it's got more and more popular each year. So we had about 200, well,

00:37just over 200 tractors last year, so we raised a good bit of money.

00:40How many tractors were on the first one, the first year?

00:42The first year, what was it?

00:45First year was about 70.

00:47Yeah.

00:47Second year was about 120, and last year was 210.

00:50We're up in numbers each year.

00:51But I mean, even the first year, that's a mega number, isn't it, really?

00:54And is that just because the farming community's kind of,

00:57if there's something that's going on, everyone's involved?

01:00When it comes to charity and, you know, there's something going on in the area,

01:03you'll find that the farming community will all come together and put the effort in.

01:07All the tractors are illuminated and really well decorated.

01:11It's a good, you know, social for people as well.

01:14Yeah.

01:14So where do you start and finish from? What's the full details and the date?

01:18All the tractors meet at the British North Livestock Market for 3pm onwards,

01:23and we want to leave there at 5 o'clock, start out on route at 5.

01:27This is on Sunday the 22nd of December.

01:30And you'll be passing through British North High Street quarter past, ten past five-ish?

01:34Yeah, we sort of hope to leave at five.

01:36We don't really know.

01:37With timings, it's always awkward.

01:39You know, we try to keep on schedule, but we don't really know.

01:42So if someone wants to spectate, the best thing to do is be there a bit early.

01:46But all the information's on the Facebook page.

01:48Cool.

01:49Just Google British North Tractor Run.

01:51Is that what we Google?

01:52Yeah, British North Passive Charity Tractor Run 2024 on Facebook,

01:56and you'll find everything you need.

01:57We go through British North High Street, down through Lowtown,

02:01and go through surrounding villages around British North as well.

02:04Quatt, Alveley, Enville.

02:06Yeah, there's all different things going on out on route for people to see.

02:11Do you end back at the livestock?

02:13We, yeah, all the tractors tend to go back to the livestock market then.

02:17Some just keep going and carry on home.

02:19So what, I mean, how long does that take then from start to finish, the full trek out?

02:24The route's about 30 miles, isn't it?

02:26Yeah, something like that.

02:27Takes three or four hours, but it's worth it for the amount of people that are out.

02:31That's good stuff, good stuff.

02:33So you both drive tractors yourselves?

02:35Yeah, we go at the front and try and keep everyone together if we can.

02:38Yeah, yeah.

02:39And how difficult is it to drive these modern tractors compared to some of the old kit?

02:43Oh, it's easy, you just...

02:44Are you sure?

02:45I mean, there's so many buttons on the bloody things though, isn't there, you know?

02:47You just stick forward and drive it.

02:49Is that all there is to it?

02:50It's like driving an automatic car nowadays, it's easy.

02:53Yeah.

02:54Unless you're actually doing something with them.

02:56You have to know a bit of something though.

02:58Do you have all the full luxuries in there, like your CD player or your radios and all that malarkey?

03:02Heated seats and all that.

03:03Heated seats? I don't know, you don't know you were born.

03:07I bet the old-time farmer boys, they give you some stick, don't they?

03:10Well, you didn't have all this.

03:12Yeah, you get a lot of that.

03:26So, we must stress, though you start at the livestock, we don't want public down there, do we, at the livestock?

03:31No, the livestock market is sort of just where all of our tractors meet.

03:34It's very stressful, there's a lot of stuff going on.

03:37For people to see the footpath, to have the full effect of it,

03:40you've got to be on the side of the road watching us pass, go past really.

03:43Yeah.

03:43Bridge North gets busy, we do go through Lowtown as well, it's not just the high street,

03:48but there's loads of villages out and about doing things along the route.

03:52For example, Quattle Ridge Hall, we've got a bit of a raffle and a choir and a bit of food,

03:56so there's plenty of places to go and see us.

03:58Nice stuff, so get that message guys, plenty of places, not the livestock market for the public.

04:04Well, great, I mean, people love it, you know, we've covered it before for the Shropshire Star in Bridge North

04:09and there's the smiles on people's faces it brings.

04:12Yeah, well, you know, the main thing is really, it's all about those charities

04:16and Hope House Children's Hospices and Macmillan Children's Hospices,

04:19two good causes, you know, it's a good social for the farmers, it's great for people to see,

04:24but the main thing is that we come together and we raise that bit of money.

04:27Last year it was 20 grand and we're going to try and hit around the same this year.

04:31Yeah, well done lads, well done, thanks from those charities I'm sure

04:36and thanks from the people of Shropshire putting a smile on their faces, cheers.

04:39Thank you for the support, not a problem.

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