Vintage Tractor Run Raises Over £3,000 to Help People Live Their Lives to the Full

A group of vintage tractor enthusiasts were the driving force behind an amazing fundraising event that raised a whopping £3156 for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland last month. 

A total of 11 vintage vehicles set off from Ullapool in the north-west Highlands on a 110-mile round trip to Gairloch and back, with another five joining them on the return leg of the three-day journey. 

The event is an annual one organised by tractor fan Murdo Mackenzie, and it was his stroke in April this year that made choosing CHSS as the group’s chosen charity a “no-brainer”. 

Murdo, 66, lives in Ullapool with his wife Threase with whom he has three daughters. A roads foreman with Highland Council, he spent six weeks in hospital after the stroke and has been supported in his recovery by CHSS. 

He said: “We have been doing vintage tractor runs for more than 10 years now for charity. It was a no-brainer to me and the rest of the lads that we did it for CHSS after this difficult year. 

“We all enjoy working on tractors and driving them. Some of us are retired and some younger, but most or all of us or our family members have been touched in one way or another by a serious chest, heart or stroke illness. That’s what inspires us to support charities like CHSS. 

“Having a stroke was very hard to come to terms with, a very scary time for me and my family. It was a very uncertain time. But my girls were by my side every single day, which helped enormously. 

“CHSS helped me come to terms with what had happened and helped put my mind at ease. 

“I hope this money will help the charity carry on doing what they do fantastically well, helping people with chest, heart and stroke conditions.” 

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