Friday, May 9, 2025
Teesdale Mercury
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Teesdale Mercury
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT

Tractor Boys’ calendar raises £8,000

by Martin Paul
December 18, 2022
in News
Tractor Boys’ calendar raises £8,000

PIN UPS: Tractor boys Alan Weir

A GROUP of tractor enthusiasts who stripped off for a risque calendar have raised almost £8,000 for causes close to their heart.
The band of friends who make up the “tractor boys” at Hamsterley Social Club bared all in November to raise cash for cancer and dementia charities because a number of their members and those close to them are afflicted by the diseases.
Almost £6,000 was raised during the calendar launch and more were sold at Darlington Auction Mart, during a table-top sale and at the village’s Cross Keys pub.
Two of the group, Tim Elstob and Brian Bell, underwent radiotherapy after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Club secretary Gayle Fidler said: “At the launch night Brian gave a brilliant talk about his journey through cancer. It was a lovely talk and really emotive because it was straight from the heart.”
Mr Bell, a sheep dog trainer, was 72 when he was diagnosed. His dog Hutch was also diagnosed with an enlarged prostate at the same time. He said: “We were both diagnosed with an enlarged prostate roughly at the same time. His wasn’t cancerous and he got away with injections but mine was cancerous so I had to have the radio-therapy. Hutch is alright, his prostate went down to normal.”
At the time, he endured 20 radiotherapy sessions at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.
He said: “It left me with various side-effects like impotence, incontinence and feeling tired all the time. Touch wood the cancer is gone but it damaged the neck of my bladder which is the cause of the incontinence.
“The point I was trying to make in my speech is if you get it soon, like my dog, there is a better outlook for you.”
Fellow tractor boys member Alan Weir said the calendar not only aimed to raise cash but also to heighten awareness. He added: “The sooner you get tested, the sooner you find out if you’ve got it or not.”
Mr Elstob’s prostate cancer was discovered because of regular testing he had to undergo following a heart attack he suffered in 1995. The 75-year-old said: “I used to go to the doctor for a check-up every month and they picked it up in my blood.”
He also recovered after undergoing radiotherapy at The James Cook Hospital.
People who would like to support the fundraiser can get their copy of the Tractor Boys Calendar at Hamsterley Social Club or the Cross Keys pub.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

Unsung hero Scott ‘shocked’ at national accolade

Next Post

Delight as old folks’ party returns to Cockfield

ADVERTISEMENT
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

Most popular

SMART: Well thought out and well designed, the Skoda Fabia Monte Carlo is fun to drive and easy to live with

Plenty of pep in Skoda’s sporty offering

May 5, 2025
CELEBRATION: Peter and Anthony Donegan present an evening of stories and songs which pay homage to their dad, Lonnie

Celebrating the legacy of our dad, Lonnie

May 2, 2025
SHARING ANTHEMS: The choir at St Mary’s Parish Church, Barnard Castle

Singing from the same song sheet

May 7, 2025
Barnard Castle and Bridge, from upstream, painted c1825 (Tate). Turner sketched the chapel in the centre of the bridge in 1797 and retained it in the finished watercolour over 20 years later, even though it had disappeared by his second visit in 1816

Turner in Teesdale, a birthday tribute

May 6, 2025
Majestic views: Looking eastbound from Stainmore cafe car park, top, the A66 has features of note including God’s Bridge, left, and the summit marker of the old Stainmore railway line

In the footsteps of the Romans

May 4, 2025
CLEANING UP: Josh Jenkins and Pauline Connelly look on as George O’Brien hands over the litter-picking equipment to Laura Drew

Anti-litterbugs gear up for work

May 8, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

15C Harmire Enterprise Park
Barnard Castle
Co Durham
DL12 8BN

Email: [email protected]

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190

VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • Art & Leisure
  • Business
  • Country Life
  • Features
  • News
  • Sport
  • Test Drive
  • Digital edition

Useful links

  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Buy your paper
  • Photosales
  • Digital edition
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Features
  • Test Drive
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Art & Leisure
  • Buy your paper
  • Buy our photos
  • Digital edition
  • Contact

© 2024