Festive tractor run to 'bring community together'

The charities for 2024 are the Great North Air Ambulance and the Children's Centre

Bringing the community together and "celebrating everything local" is at the heart of a festive charity tractor run organised by young farmers.

Starting off from Port Erin later and continuing on Saturday evening, the fundraising convoy of decorated machines is in its seventh year.

Organiser Hayley Crowe said that since its inception, the Isle of Man Young Farmers Christmas Tractor Run has become a highlight in the Christmas calendar.

“The ethos behind our event is to share Christmas spirit across the community, because getting together is what the farming community represents," she said.

When it started it was "just for fun for our young farmers members" and organisers "didn’t realise how quickly the public would get behind us", Ms Crowe continued.

She said now the young farmers' movement was also encouraging people to hold "tractor run parties" to mark the event.

"We want people from all different walks of life to be able to enjoy it, it's not just about the children," she said.

"It's great that we can drive past a nursing home and people will come out and watch."

Many farmers keep the decoration of their tractors a secret until the first night

Ms Crowe explained how the event had grown exponentially in both size and charitable impact from the first event, which involved 25 tractors and raised £750 for the island's foodbank.

By comparison, last year's parade through the island's towns and villages involved 75 tractors, raising £15,800 for Craig’s Heartstrong Foundation and Hospice Isle of Man.

She said the current number of vehicles taking part was the maximum deemed to be practical for logistical reasons.

Ms Crowe said a change to the starting point for the convoy, which this year will be Church Road rather than the harbour in Port Erin, was designed to draw more people to will create more of a community atmosphere prior to them setting off and draw more people to local businesses in the area.

The vehicles are set to gather in the southern village from 16:30 GMT, with the run due to set off at 18:20 and arrive at the TT Grandstand in the island's capital at about 21:15.