#Trade Shows & Events
The Royal Highland Education Trust mark 20th anniversary with a charity Tractor Tour of Scotland
The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) is celebrating 20 years of taking the ‘classroom to the countryside’ this June by travelling 600 miles to 12 Scottish Schools in a Massey Ferguson tractor with the aim of raising £6000 before its grand finale at the Royal Highland Show.
RHET started educating the children of Scotland in 1999, teaching them where food comes from and making them more aware of the environment around them. Today, RHET takes more than 16,500 children onto farms and estates throughout Scotland every academic year as well as supplying classroom speakers. This is carried out by volunteers at an estimated value of £1.2m.
To help mark this milestone, George Lawrie, Chairman of the RHET board, is undertaking a tractor tour and visiting a school in each of the 12 schools in Countryside Initiative (CI) areas around Scotland, including RNCI in the North East. This will take place the week prior to the Royal Highland Show, starting off from the showground on the 12th of June and finishing back at the showground on the 19th of June. The planned route will cover around 600 miles with the aim of raising £10 for every mile travelled on the Tractor.
George Lawrie said: “I will be visiting 2 schools per day spending around 2 hours at each school. These visits will be about more than just a tractor as each individual CI will be bringing in volunteers to talk about farming in their area”.
To support this trip, farm machinery dealer the Hamilton Ross Group have supplied RHET with a Massey Ferguson tractor from their Reekie Ltd Perth depot. Reekie Perth General Manager, Sam Mercer said: “We are delighted to support this fantastic fundraising initiative. RHET provide young people with an invaluable understanding and enthusiasm for Scottish agriculture and the countryside, something which is crucial to the future of our industry.”
In addition, Allison Enterprises and the Binn Group, both of Glenfarg, are supplying a trailer that will be used to carry a Highland cow sculpture made from recycled farm metal andcrafted by Kev Paxton of ArtFe, Ratho. ArtFe has agreed to donate this eye catching piece of agricultural art to RHET and could be yours when it goes under the hammer at a gala dinner later on in the year
George added: “We are indebted to the generosity of these companies allowing us to undertake this tour. Please follow our Facebook page to hear when other companies sign up their support. You can also check out our JustGiving page to pledge your support and help us with the challenge of raising £10 for every mile travelled.”
Photo caption: (Left to Right) Sam Mercer, General Manager of Reekie Ltd, handing over the Massey Ferguson tour tractor to RHET Chairman, George Lawrie.