Online petition is calling for red diesel to be permitted at charity events

From 1 April this year, red diesel will not be permitted for use in vehicles taking part in tractor runs or ploughing matches.

Many have voiced concerns that this could signal the end of charity tractor runs, which have raised vast amounts for good causes over the years.

Now, a petition has been set up on www.change.org by AgriSocial, an organisation that plans and hosts charity events in the agricultural industry to raise money for charities.

To date the petition, which can be found here, has gathered 3,792 signatures.

They state: “From the 1 of April, rules for the use of red diesel are changing.

“We will no longer be able to use red diesel for tractor runs or ploughing matches.

“A majority of tractor runs in the UK are all to raise money for charities, for example, I have hosted and planned five tractor runs over the last five years, raising over £70,000 for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance and Cancer Research UK. ”

They continue: “This new law will cause all these charities which rely on donations for events like tractor runs to suffer, especially after the last two years because of the global pandemic.

“So there is going to be a lot of charities in the UK which will suffer from this new law.

“For example air ambulance charities in the UK rely solely on fundraiser events like tractor runs to raise much-needed funds for them, as they are not government funded.

“So by signing this petition you are helping us to try make the use of red diesel permitted to be used for ‘not for profit’ events such as tractor runs,” they end.

See also: Red diesel will not be permitted for tractor runs or ploughing matches from 1 AprilNew red diesel rules could ‘spell the end’ of charity tractor runs councillor warnsHere are some of the questions answered by HMRC during red diesel webinar for farmers