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Judi finishes 174-mile journey on New Holland combine for cancer charity

Release Date: 17 Jun 2014
Judi finishes 174-mile journey on a New Holland CX5080 Combine Harvester for cancer charity

Farm worker Judi James completed an incredible 174-mile fundraising journey on Wednesday June 11th when she rolled into her home village of Littlebredy in Dorset on a New Holland combine she drove all the way from London.

Three days of travelling through city and countryside – dodging motorways and enjoying occasional police escorts – has so far raised more than £1,000 for Breast Cancer Campaign.

After jumping down from the New Holland CX5080 at Longlands Farm, near Dorchester, where she was welcomed just after 5pm by a crowd of friends, she grinned: “I’m not as tired as I thought I would be and it was really enjoyable.

“My best moment was when I got clear of London. The lorry drivers were particularly supportive and I got lots of beeps from them! And last night we were parked at a hotel and lots of people came to take a look and were pressing money into our hands. It’s certainly made people look.”

Judi works part-time for John Barker, who runs Longland Farm in Littlebredy, where he has about 140 head of longhorn cattle. She had planned to use his CR9070 Elevation combine but it was too big.

That was when New Holland stepped in with a smaller machine and had it transported all the way from the company’s flagship tractor factory in Basildon, Essex, to the starting line at Wimbledon Common.

Mother-of-two Judi (54) only got into agriculture seven years ago, and she said: “Without New Holland I would not have got anywhere. I am very grateful and their generosity was fantastic.”

Judi explained: “I lost my sister-in-law at the age of 40 to breast cancer, and want to remember her and a terrific lady who gave me my first break after qualifying in Rural Business Administration.

“She too was sadly lost to this dreadful disease at only 49 years of age. I experienced the fear of this disease having found a lump myself at only 27 but was blessed to be given the all clear.

“I had always wanted to do something different. It came to me while I was combining last year and I just thought I wanted to go for it.”

John Barker, who has run New Holland machines on his farm for more than 20 years, said: “Judi’s done very well. She came up with the idea and we’ve been behind her all the way. It was very good of New Holland to come up with the machine.”

To add a donation to Judi’s fundraising effort, go online to www.justgiving.com/judijamescombineharvesterchallenge.

​17 June 2014

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