Event raises £3k for Air Ambulance NI

Event raises £3k for Air Ambulance NI

5 January 2022

A CHARITY tractor run in Ballynahinch over the Christmas holidays raised over £3,000 for Air Ambulance Northern Ireland.

Robert McCormick organised the Ballylone Tractor Run as a thank you for the help he received after he was hit by a car near Lisburn last September.

Mr McCormick, who suffered broken ribs and damaged an elbow in the accident, was attended by Air Ambulance personnel who arrived by car and took him to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

Mr McCormick said he had intended to hold the tractor run during the summer, but decided at the last minute to bring the event forward to last Tuesday.

With only three days to make arrangements, his grandson Andrew got onto social media and spread the word. The High School Ballynahinch made its car park available for parking, 

Premier Traffic Systems lent some traffic cones and Stephen Wilson, of Truck and Plant Elex, volunteered to lead the tractors with his van. 

Permission to hold the run was obtained from the Parades Commission.

“Tuesday morning came and to be honest we had no idea how many would turn up,” Mr McCormick said. “We were hoping for 40 or at best 50, but it soon became clear we were in for a busy day.

“Registration was at 11am, but the first batch of tractors, all the way from Ballywalter, arrived at 10.30. From that until the run started there was just a steady flow of tractors. In total we had 107 tractors, 12 lorries and seven cars. This far exceeded what we dared to dream of.”

Gate receipts amounted to £2,400 and with further donations a total of £3,300 will be presented to the Air Ambulance.

Mr McCormick said: “I would like to give anyone who helped in any way and everyone who donated a massive thank you.”