OSWESTRY will have its very own illuminated tractor run this Christmas after garnering unwavering support.
Organisers had asked the public for their thoughts on holding the event over the weekend, but it quickly became clear there was more than enough support to confirm the date, time and route.
Oswestry resident Mike Lade, working in conjunction with the Oswestry and Whittington Young Farmers' Club, said he hopes to pull off success similar to the illuminated tractor run he helped organise in Llangollen last year.
He said: “We felt so comfortable from the response and feedback we received on our Facebook group, which has been great, that we’ve said it’s going ahead.
“I’m hoping that this event will be as successful as the one that we organised in Llangollen where I worked with the Llangollen Young Farmers' Club and they were great because they did the grand share of the work.
“I’m now organising the Oswestry one because this is where I live and it’s with the Oswestry and Whittington YFC."
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The event has been confirmed for Saturday, December 9 and will see illuminated tractors gather at the British Ironwork Centre from 3pm before heading off at 3.45pm and going through West Felton, Ruyton XI Towns, Baschurch, Burlton, Cockshutt, Ellesmere, St Martins, Whittington, and Oswestry, before returning to the BIC.
Mike added: “We’re raising money for the Lingen Davies Appeal because that’s who the YFC supports and we want to help them too.
“The date is Saturday, December 9 and while we have one or two things to still arrange, 95 per cent of the route is in place.
“Now, you’ve supported us online so I just hope you can get out and support us on the streets and hopefully we can see the smiles on the kids’ faces as the tractors go past.”
He added: “We will have marshals and bucket collectors in the villages to raise much-needed money for local charities but more on that later.”
However, Mike explained that as the tractor run is there to raise money for charities, he needs to know a rough estimate of supporters who would line the streets to give donations.
The organisers have a Facebook page @oswestryilluminatedtractorrun where you can give your support to this new event.
Mike added: “We want to make it as well supported as the Oswestry Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 2, to hail in the Christmas celebrations.”
Illuminated tractor runs have grown in popularity in recent years with Llangollen launching theirs in 2022 and Welshpool also organising a hugely popular event.
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