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