Combine harvester and old Fergie set off on separate end-to-end challenges
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An environmentally friendly combine harvester and a 74-year-old Fergie tractor set off from John O'Groats on Sunday on separate fundraising journeys to Land's End.
There was an early start for four farming friends who are driving a Claas combine on the end-to-end route to raise awareness and funds for two charities, Children with Cancer UK and the mental health charity Mind.
Olly Harrison, John Branson, James Baldini and Martin Williams hope to reach Land's End by Thursday.
All four have suffered the loss of close friends through suicide. "These tragic losses could have been avoided by talking and communication so we are doing our best to raise awareness of this big problem countrywide by partnering with Mind mental health charity," they say on their JustGiving fundraising page.
"As farmers we have chosen the biggest machine that we could find to highlight this big issue throughout the country and we are happy to have Claas on board and supporting the project. Their chosen charity this year, Children with Cancer UK, represents the other half of our charity involvement."
To minimise their environmental impact, they are running the combine harvester on Certas Energy hydrotreated vegetable oil, a fossil-free fuel.
The team set a £10,000 target and more than £11,400 had been raised by the start of this week.
The combine will be on show at Cereals 2023, being held on the Thoresby Estate in Nottinghamshire on June 13/14.
Later on Sunday, tractor enthusiast Pete Burdass embarked on what he hopes will be a record-setting journey in his 74-year-old Fergie.
He is raising funds for people affected by motor neurone disease on his Little Grey Fergie Challenge.
As far as Pete is aware, the trip to Land's End has never been completed before by this type of tractor and he expects it to take 12 days. His restored Ferguson TED20 dates back to 1949.
Originally from Yorkshire, Pete has lived in Perthshire for a number of years.
Donations to the Little Grey Fergie Challenge can be made online through JustGiving. The challenge has already exceeded its £5000 target, with more than £7300 raised so far.
