YFC members in scooter ride for charity

In a bid to raise funds for the Sue Ryder healthcare charity a group of eight YFC members from across Yorkshire are making their way from Yorkshire to south Devon on mobility scooters at a top speed of 8mph in an event nicknamed ’Yorkie to Torkie’.

And adding to the somewhat unusual mode of transport will be a supersize model sheep and an equally oversized potato which will be towed behind the mobility scooters as they travel the minor roads of England.

The fundraising challenge, one of many such undertakings by YFC members from across the country, is being supported by the BWMB after Yorkshire YFC decided to showcase what their members believe are Yorkshire’s two greatest agricultural exports, wool and potatoes, on their trip.

Travelling through eight counties the YFC members’ route will take them through South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Devon, all counties with proud wool producing histories.

BWMB Producer Relations Manager Gareth Jones says the efforts of the YFC members to raise funds for the Sue Ryder healthcare charity were a cause BWMB was keen to support in any way possible.

’This may just look like a bunch of YFC members having fun on their way to the YFC convention. But their fundraising efforts for charity are admirable and are to be applauded.

’That they chose wool as one of Yorkshire’s greatest exports is a recognition of the traditional value wool had as an agricultural product and the role Yorkshire towns, such as the BWMB’s hometown of Bradford, had and still have in the wool and textile trade.’

Mr Jones said that recent years had seen the price farmers receive for their wool rise again as a result of increasing domestic and international demand. ’The efforts being made by these YFC members to raise the profile of wool through their charity quest are very welcome and help support a lot of the other work being done to promote British wool.’

And to add to the rivalry between the teams towing the sheep and potato there will also be a competition involved, with the public able to donate by text message using either ’ Wool88 ’2’ or ’Spud88 ’2’ to 70070.

The mobility scooter riding YFM members will leave Yorkshire on Saturday 21 April, aiming to arrive in Torquay on Friday 27 April and will visit BWMB’s headquarters at Canal Road, Bradford, on Friday 20 April for a media opportunity.