A GROUP of young farmers will be pushing a tractor more than 15 miles to Cartmel to raise funds in memory of a man who died from motor neurone disease.
Around 25 dedicated members of Cartmel Young Farmers Association will be attempting to haul the 2.1-tonne Leyland 245 tractor Sunday.
Dot Gibbons has organised the group tractor-push to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) after her tractor-mad great uncle Dave Minton died from the disease in August 2019 - just one year after his diagnosis.
Dot said: "We wanted to do something to raise money for MNDA sooner after it happened but we haven't been able to do much at all over the last few years with Covid.
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"This isn't about me though, we were all really keen to do it, and it just seemed such a fitting way to do it, as he was so into tractors - he would have loved it.
"As a club we sit down at the beginning of the year and discuss who we should raise money for - we've done lots in the past and raised money for the children's ward at Furness General Hospital, St Mary's Hospice and North West Air Ambulance, so everyone agreed on MNDA, and obviously I wanted to do it as I lost my uncle.
"We will be setting off from Haverthwaite crossroads at 7.30 am, going via Flookburgh, Allithwaite Grange, Lindale then finishing in Cartmel at about 4 pm hopefully.
"We will be out collecting money throughout our push, and we'd really appreciate the support of people cheering us on our way.
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"Those of us taking part range from just 10 all the way to 28 years of age.
"We have a Justgiving page set up and don't forget to follow us on Facebook where we will be updating the page regularly throughout the day to share our progress."
According to his wife Liz, Mr Minton had driven tractors since childhood and continued to do so right up until the progression of the disease made it unsafe.
He had a collection of vintage tractors his favourite being an International he called Mickey.
Liz said that MNDA were a huge support to Dave during his illness and he would have thoroughly approved of Cartmel Young Farmers' fund-raising event.
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