Festive tractor run to round off Caithness Young Farmers' centenary year
Young Farmers in Caithness are gearing up for a fundraising Christmas tractor run to round off their 100th anniversary year.
Tractors decorated with festive lights will be taking to the roads on Wednesday, December 27, on a meandering route starting outside Castletown and finishing in Wick.
Avril Henderson, secretary of the Caithness Young Farmers’ 100th anniversary committee, said: "There will be collection buckets along the route, so please help us boost our fundraising for our three charities for the year – the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution, Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance and MFR Cash for Kids."
The tractor run is due to start at 3.45pm at Thurdistoft, Castletown, continuing to Thurso, Glengolly, Halkirk, Achalone, Spittal, Watten and Reiss before ending in the car park at B&M in Wick's South Road at approximately 7.30pm.
Organisers hope it will be possible to track the progress of the tractors during the event via the Caithness District Young Farmers Facebook page.
A similar event a year ago saw a convoy of 59 tractors trundling through the county from Bower to Thurso.
Avril said: "Everybody enjoyed it so much last year and that's why they want to end the year with the same thing. They all had so much fun doing it – as soon as they got back to Thurso they said 'we're definitely doing this again'.
"It was lovely. People had come out to their road ends and were there for us as we were going past, and that's what made it for everybody."
She added: "We apologise for any inconvenience or disruption that may be caused."
Entry is £10 per tractor. Anyone wishing to join in can register by calling Avril on 07765 646356.
Last month's centenary ball at the Assembly Rooms in Wick was the high point of a busy programme of activities marking the first 100 years of the Young Farmers. At the end of September a commemorative stone was unveiled at the old Lanergill school, where the first Young Farmers club in the country was formed in 1923.
The movement is led by the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC). There are 72 clubs across Scotland, including three in Caithness – Bower, Forss and Halkirk.
SAYFC describes itself as a membership organisation for and run by young people from across Scotland. It has more than 3500 members across three regions.
