10 LADIES, 10 VINTAGE TRACTORS, 1000 MILES

10 LADIES, 10 VINTAGE TRACTORS, 1000 MILES

An inspirational group of 10 ladies are taking on the epic challenge of driving 10 vintage tractors from John o’Groats to Landsend. The journey, covering 1000 miles is to take 13 days of intense driving to reach their phenomenal target of £100,000. The funds raised are to be spilt over four charities, Cancer Research UK, Caring for Children with Cancer, Motor Neurone Disease Association and Irish Motor Neurone Disease Research Foundation.

The Tractor Girls event was the brainwave of Jenny Coles who set about creating a group of like-minded ladies to take up the gauntlet, all of who have had their lives touched in some way by Cancer or Motor Neurone Disease. The group includes Eilidh Grieve from Aberfeldy who will be driving a Super Dexta New Performance Mode tractor. The charismatic tractor was built in 1963 by Mungalls of Forfar and started its working life on the Atholl Estates with the Melloy family who were tenants. On Mr Melloy’s retirement in 1970 the estate took over the tractor and it was used as the stock tractor on Home Farm for many years. It was eventually purchased in 1999 by Eilidh's father who then restored it to its former glory with a complete overhaul and re-spray and was gifted to her for her 21st birthday.

As part of the epic road trip the girls will be stopping at Blair Castle as their guests for lunch and a short break on 29th June at 12.30pm before continuing their journey south. Eilidh commented "I am so excited to be able to drive the tractor back to its home of Blair Castle and the Atholl Estate one of Scotland’s most famous landmarks and I would like to thank Atholl Estates for supporting the tractor girls 2010”. The Atholl Estate is still run as a working estate today and during the summer months offers vintage tractor and trailer rides around the castle grounds.

On completion of their journey the ladies and their tractors will be boarding a ferry and will be travelling the length and breadth of Ireland continuing their challenge to raise awareness and funds for their nominated charities.