Rural Awards 2026: Annie takes to the stage after accident left her in a wheelchair to thank tractor run efforts

A Shropshire woman whose ‘life changed forever’ when an accident left her in a wheelchair just days before her wedding, has thanked the team that raised an incredible £50,000 for the two charities that helped her through the ordeal.

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Annabelle Farmer, known as Annie, was involved in a serious accident in May that left her paralysed and in a wheelchair. The accident was just days before she was due to get married to fiancé Olly Mycock.

Annie, from Bayston Hill, works for her family’s agricultural machinery dealership, Edwards & Farmer Ltd, and when colleagues heard of her accident, they said they knew they had to do something.

Work pals William Carlyle, Gavin Tomkinson and Doug McCowan decided to do a tractor run to raise money for Annie’s chosen charities, but said they were not expecting the turnout they had.

More than 140 tractors turned out for the Edwards & Farmer Ltd Charity Tractor Run in May, from all over the region and beyond, raising an incredible £50,011 for the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and Horatio’s Garden.

Now out of hospital, Annie was at the Rural Awards 2026 on Thursday, where she accepted the award for Rural Event of the Year, and took the opportunity to thank her colleagues for their efforts.

She told the audience at the Rural Awards: “It was 13 days before I was due to get married and we were prepping our wedding field and having a great day when unfortunately an accident happened.

“I needed the air ambulance and was taken to Stoke and have been left paralysed by the accident.

“From that moment the team had my back instantly, and they really wanted to rally together when I was stuck in Stoke so they organised a tractor run.

“They were thinking of maybe 20 or 30 tractors but ended up with 140 tractors and it was a really amazing event. We also held a promise auction as well that was so well supported by local businesses.

“We just feel so loved by our industry and feel so lucky to be part of agriculture in Shropshire.

“I could not be more grateful to the team. The day was amazing.”

She said half of the £50,011 raised would go to the Midlands Air Ambulance, and the other half to Horatio’s Garden, which build gardens in hospitals to help patients get away from a clinical setting for a while.

“They really helped me,” said Annie. “Having a garden and space to breathe that was not clinical was really important.

“I’m just really proud to be out of hospital and back living my life and being here with you all tonight.”