Tractor run returns and will include Kaleb

The fairy lit convoy will raise funds for Katharine House with the tour getting underway on Saturday evening

Excitement is building ahead of tomorrow’s RC Baker Christmas Tractor Run around the villages on the southern side of Banbury.   Organisers have confirmed that one of the stars of the hit TV show Clarkson’s Farm, Kaleb Cooper, will once again be taking part.

This will be the sixth year that the farming community has come together to join the convoy of fairy lit tractors bringing some festive cheer and raise money for the Katharine House Hospice. 

The event was dreamt up by Jennie Steenkamp from RC Baker.  Despite Jennie’s colleagues being unconvinced when she first shared the idea, the Tractor Run has become a huge annual success, raising £24,000 for Katharine House.

Jennie said: “The bar has certainly been set high for this year but we are up for the challenge!

“British farmers are renowned for working hard throughout the year but this event not only raises an amazing amount of money for such a worthy cause but also provides the opportunity to get some much needed positive PR for the industry whilst having fun, spreading some festive cheer and showing off their machinery. The huge amount of enjoyment that it has come to bring to the local community really is the icing on the cake.”

Back in 2016 the Tractor Run started featuring just twenty-six tractors.   This year the 100 available places in the convoy were snapped up within hours of being made available.

These are the approximate timings for seeing the convoy:

• 5:00pm – Spring Hill Farm
• 5:10pm – arrive at South Newington
• 5:20pm – arrive at Milcombe
• 5:30pm – arrive at Bloxham
• 5:45pm -arrive at Milton
• 5:55pm – arrive at Adderbury
• 6:25pm – arrive at Aynho
• 6.35pm – arrive at Clifton
• 6.45pm -arrive at Deddington
• 7.00pm – arrive at Hempton
• 7.10pm – arrive at Barford St Michael
• 7.20pm – return to Spring Hill Farm

This year a Best Dressed Tractor competition will run with each vehicle displaying a number and the public encouraged to vote for their favourite.   The organisers have also arranged a number of prizes for a raffle, including meals out, a large number of food and drink selections, vouchers and even a Christmas turkey.

Anyone wishing to donation can do so via the ‘Text to Donate’ facility by texting “TRACTORLIGHTS n” to 70085, replacing “n” with the number of pounds you wish to donate.   The minimum donation is £2 and texts will cost one standard rate message.  As an example if you wished to give £10 you would text “TRACTORLIGHTS 10” to 70085.   Alternatively donations can be made online.

The Tractor Run’s dedicated page can be found here.

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Published: 17/12/2021 11:41am by Banbury FM Newsteam

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