Charity tractor restoration raises funds for Dementia UK

A refurbished Fordson Dexta has been given a new lease of life as a fundraising mascot for Dementia UK.

Painted in bright pink livery with turquoise accents, the tractor has been lovingly restored by owner Anna Griffiths in Northamptonshire, who has set out to raise £1,000 for the charity.

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Rebuilt from the ground up, Ms Griffiths purchased the tractor for £1,100 last year, and has since spent many hours, and many pennies, restoring it to its former glory.

“I had been looking for a project to tinker with for ages and this was the first tractor I came across,” said Ms Griffiths.

“My partner immediately said ‘Oh no, what have you bought!’, as there was a lot wrong with it – it was like a demolition derby, with rotten and rusted parts everywhere.”

© Anna Griffiths

The process of piecing it back together, which started with purchasing new panelling, before shot-blasting and repainting, has been documented on a dedicated Instagram page – @little_pink_fordson – garnering attention from nearly 400 followers.

Care home inspiration

Turning the restoration project into a charity fundraiser was inspired by the advanced-stage Alzheimer’s care home that Ms Griffiths worked in during lockdown.

Spending two years working at the home, she was touched by the experience of caring for the end-of-life patients, and “wanted to do something that could one day contribute to finding a cure”.

Fundraising

So far, Ms Griffiths has raised half of her £1,000 target, and hopes that she can exceed this figure once the tractor’s hydraulics are restored, allowing her to take it to more events.

For example, the tractor will be heading to local ploughing matches and shows, where its bright paint-job – which matches the colours of Dementia UK – should turn heads and bring in more donations.  

Asked about the future, Ms Griffiths said: “I would definitely like to restore another one for another charity, but I want to do something different that stands out from the crowd – maybe a Super Major or something a bit bigger.”

To make a donation, visit the Just Giving fundraising page.