MATT BAKER JOINS COUNTY DURHAM TRACTOR CLUB RALLY FOR SIR BOBBY

Television presenter and producer, Matt Baker, joined a County Durham tractor club as it raised £2,000 for our Foundation.

Matt Baker (credit Channel 4)

Flass Vale Vintage Tractor Club holds tractor rallies in County Durham annually to support local charities and last year chose to raise funds for us after a number of its members were affected by cancer.

They were joined at the event by Countryfile star and County Durham native, Matt, and the rally will feature in the third series of his hugely popular programme, Our Farm in the Dales.

Alastair Hopps, from Flass Vale Vintage Tractor Club, says: “We’re extremely proud of our track record in raising money for local charities. Every year, we try to choose a cause which means something personally to the group and this time around, with a number of us affected by cancer, we were all keen to raise funds for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

“We normally host two rallies every year but that wasn’t possible this time because of COVID, so we’re really pleased to have raised as much as we have. Tractors come from all over the north and we love to see all the different models involved, and especially the older machines. It’s a great day out and we were thrilled that Matt could join us.”

Lady Elsie with Flass Vale Tractor Club

Beginning and ending at Flass Lodge, 40 tractors took part in the 25-mile rally and Lady Elsie met with the group in Esh Winning to receive the cheque for the money raised by the club.

Matt Baker says: “What a spectacle it was to be part of. It was so much fun riding through the villages and valleys whilst helping to raise money for those going through difficult times in memory of local lad, Sir Bobby Robson. The tractor rally was a super start to the last show of our series.”

The Our Farm in the Dales episode featuring Flass Vale Vintage Tractor Club will be broadcast on More4 at 9pm on 9 November.