Shropshire Star

Annual tractor run near Whitchurch raises funds for Friendship Club

Dozens of tractors took to the roads to help raise money for a village club.

Published
The Tractor Run

More than 20 tractors took part in an annual tractor run in Bronington, near Whitchurch, to raise money for the village’s Friendship Club.

Vehicles met in the morning, setting of from Mill Lane Tractors, in Mill Road, travelling through the village before ending at the Raven Hotel in Prees Heath for lunch.

The run often raises between £400 to £500 for the group, but the money raised from this year’s event has not yet been counted.

The Tractor Run

The friendship group offers elderly residents bus trips, Christmas lunches and other social events throughout the year.

Previously they have also raised money for the hospitals in Wrexham and Shrewsbury.

Mike Williams, member of the Bronington Friendship Club committee, was among the enthusiasts meeting up on Sunday.

He said: "We didn't have loads of tractors this year – we had about 24, but we still had a grand day.

"Someone phones up saying they are going to be on holiday, while another says they are not very well, so we had about half or dozen or eight missing.

"We usually raise £400 but I don't expect to raise that much this year. People tend to come up and give you £10 afterwards so it is hard to know."

Mr Williams added: "We started in the 1990s when we had about eight tractors. We used to run it on New Year's Day but it was either bitterly cold or raining. The weather was terrible so we decided to do it in the summer.

"We tend to vary the route. We have been to Whixall, Fenns Bank, Whitchurch, Coton, Brown Moss, Ightfield before finishing off in Prees Heath this year."