Fundraising packs

Banbury Christmas Tractor Run fundraising pack

The Tractor Run is one of Katharine House Hospice’s major fundraising events of the year. Be a part of it and support both your community and your hospice.

Can you help us reach our fundraising goal?

The Tractor Run has become one of the most anticipated events of the year in this area. The amount the event has raised for Katharine House Hospice has grown substantially over the years and with this year being the 10th event we want to continue to make the biggest impact possible for the patients of Katharine House, by raising £100,000! That’s a huge amount of money, and it will only be possible with the help of the whole community.

Do you get together with family and friends to watch and celebrate the Tractor Run?
Are you one of the farmers who takes part in the Tractor Run?
Do you have a business on the route or nearby in the area?
Are you a member of a community group?
Do you attend a church in one of the villages or towns we pass through? (South Newington – Milcombe – Bloxham – Banbury – Adderbury – Aynho – Clifton – Deddington – Hempton – Barford St Michael)
Are you part of a school community locally?

If so, you’ve come to the right place, and we have lots of ideas for how you can fundraise money for Katharine House Hospice. Your support can make for a cracking night, raise crucial funds and there are even benefits for business and your local community.

Ideas for raising funds

Throw a party

 This is the 10th Banbury Christmas Tractor Run and so it’s the perfect time to organise a get-together with family and friends to make for a brilliant evening altogether. A few ideas from the team here.

Have a bring and share party before or after watching the tractors and ask everyone to bring a dish and a donation.
Set up a hot chocolate or mulled wine bar to warm up everyone as they return from watching the Tractor Run and pop a pot on the side for donations.
Best dressed competitions aren’t just for tractors, you know. Encourage everyone to get festive with their outfits and have some fun with it. Of course, there’s an entry fee to enter the competition in true charitable style!

See also our webpages below to help you make the most of the evening as a fundraiser for Katharine House Hospice.

If you’re a tractor driver in the Tractor Run convoy

After giving all the spectators a roadside rave to remember, there’s no reason why you should miss out on that warm, fuzzy feeling. Here are a few ways that you could help us to raise even more money.

Ask friends and family to donate for your efforts in dressing your tractor and being out in the cold for all those hours. You can use JustGiving or come and collect a tin from us so people can give cash in the weeks leading up to the event.
Throw an after-party and ask your guests to donate.

See also our webpages below to help you make the most of the evening as a fundraiser for Katharine House Hospice.

If you’re a Spotlight Stop

We’ve created this promotion downloadable asset for you to use on social media or as part of other promotional literature.

See also our webpages below to help you make the most of the evening as a fundraiser for Katharine House Hospice.

If you’re a local business, school, church or community group

We are asking the whole community to rally round this year, and so here are a few ideas that might just be something you can do to not only help your local community, but also raise crucial funds AND benefit local business.

Do you have a car park that can be used for the Tractor Run? Spectators travel from near and far and we don’t want their vehicles to clog up the roads. Opening up a church, community centre, business or school car park will help us to make the event safer and you could even ask people for a donation to park. Please let us know about your car parking spots as we will endeavour to add this information to our website.
As a business. would you like to sponsor one of the tractors? We are aiming to get all 100 tractors sponsored this year and packages range from £150 to £1,000.
If you are in the hospitality trade and are located on the Tractor Run route, you can throw one heck of a party and people will flock to you for food and drink and a great view of the tractors! Many businesses donate a percentage of their sales from the evening and have a collection bucket for people to pop donations in. We are putting ONE spot from every village on the route on our Tractor Run map this year and all businesses need to do is pledge a minimum donation of £300. Find out more on our Spotlight Stops webpage.

There may be paperwork and processes you need to have in place, so be sure to check about risk assessments, public liability insurance and food hygiene registration and certificates. Find out more on our legal information for events webpage.

See also our webpages below to help you make the most of the evening as a fundraiser for Katharine House Hospice.

Working together for our community

If raising money solely for Katharine House isn’t possible, either because you are a school or a church in need of your own fundraising or perhaps a business with bills to pay, then we have the answer.

You can fundraise for your own school or church as well as Katharine House and split the proceeds 50/50. You just need to ensure that those donating know exactly where the money is going, so be clear that the funds will be split.

Read Nikki and Sarah’s story about how they support the Tractor Run each year

In 2020, when the route of the Tractor Run first changed to include Aynho, Nikki and Sarah watched after taking shelter in Nikki’s canal side shop at Aynho Wharf.

By 2021, the two women had opened Brew Box at the Wharf. The converted horsebox selling coffee, cake and light bites quickly become popular with locals and boaters alike and that was the first year Nikki and Sarah opened up to serve hot dogs and hot chocolates in support of the Tractor Run.

Since then, the small annual gathering has grown into a busy BBQ with fairy lights and firepit, providing a fun destination from which to watch.

Katharine House is very special to Nikki, Sarah and many of the local boating community, and so wanting to give something back, they asked for donations in return for a shot of Bailey’s to add to the hot drinks (or not!). This resulted in a bit of a tradition that Nikki and Sarah both really look forward to and so do the crowds that use Aynho Wharf as their watch-point for the most anticipated Christmas event of the season.

Over the years as Brew Box’s popularity has grown, their support of the event has too. From £1 Bailey’s shots to raffle prizes and then, in 2023, they sponsored a tractor! Something they’ll be doing again this year – along with the Baileys shots too of course!

This year, the Brew Box BBQ will be open from 6pm for hot dogs, hot drinks and mince pies.

Two women in winter coats smiling and holding cups inside a horsebox that has been converted into the cosy Brew Box coffee shop.

“Katharine House is a vital part of this community and it’s ridiculously personal to both of us. The support given by the hospice has been such a comfort to us, as it has for so many families. We have a great time doing what we do, it’s such a laugh. It’s such a privilege to be part of the Tractor Run.” Nikki and Sarah

Webpages to help you make the most of your event

We have lots of information and help for fundraising events organised by our supporters. To find out more, check out the links below to get first-hand advice from the Katharine House Hospice fundraising team.