The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) is celebrating 20 years of taking the ‘classroom to the countryside’ this week by travelling 600 miles to 12 Scottish schools in a Massey Ferguson 7718 S tractor wrapped to look like a Highland cow!

L-R: Hamilton Ross Group Perth Depot general manager Sam Mercer, Massey Ferguson area sales manager, Hamish Brown and RHET chairman, George Lawrie see the tractor off at the Royal Highland Centre

The eye-catching tractor, which has been supplied by farm machinery dealers the Hamilton Ross Group in partnership with Massey Ferguson, left the Royal Highland Centre on Wednesday this week (June 12th) to embark on a week-long tractor tour to schools in each of the 12 Countryside Initiative (CI) areas around Scotland before returning to the Royal Highland showground in time for the show.

George Lawrie, Chairman of the RHET board, will be driving the tractor over a 600 mile route with the aim of raising £10 for every mile travelled for the trust to reach a target of £6,000.

Before he set off, George Lawrie said, “We are delighted to announce that we have already reached our target of £6,000 and we are hoping to raise even more funds once the tractor tour is underway. RHET are happy to be working alongside the Hamilton Ross Group and Massey Ferguson and would like to thank both companies for their continued support.”

Accompanying the tractor is a branded trailer, supplied by Allison Enterprises and the Binn Group, and a Highland cow sculpture made from recycled farm metal by Kev Paxton of ArtFe.

During the tour, each school will be given the opportunity to enter a competition run by Massey Ferguson and the Hamilton Ross Group to name the tractor. The winning school will be awarded a RHET Farm Visit. In addition, there will also be various games and a colouring competition.

Hamilton Ross Group Perth General Manager, Sam Mercer said, “We are delighted to support this fantastic fundraising initiative. RHET provide young people with an invaluable understanding of Scottish agriculture and the countryside, something which is crucial to the future of our industry.”