WELLY THE HELI TAKES OFF! Drigg Young Farmers on a 77-mile push for charity.
WELLY THE HELI TAKES OFF!
Drigg Young Farmers on a 77-mile push for charity.
by Danielle Murphy
Drigg Young Farmers’ Club are preparing to go the distance – quite literally – in support of a charity that means a great deal to their members and their community.
This summer, the club is undertaking a bold and ambitious challenge called #WellyTheHeli, raising funds for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), a vital organisation that relies entirely on charitable donations.
The challenge, taking place on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th July 2025, will see club members aged 10 to 28, along with older advisory members, pulling and pushing a replica helicopter – cleverly built around a one-tonne car body – from Drigg Village Hall to the GNAAS base in Langwathby. The journey spans an impressive 77 miles, and the team will complete the distance in relay style.
“Motivated by gratitude and a desire to give back, the club hopes to raise as much money as possible to support the continuation of this essential service for Cumbria and the wider North of England.”
This creative and strenuous feat comes from a deeply personal place. In recent years, the Great North Air Ambulance has come to the aid of several members, friends, and relatives of Drigg YFC. Motivated by gratitude and a desire to give back, the club hopes to raise as much money as possible to support the continuation
of this essential service for Cumbria and the wider North of England.
In preparation for the challenge, club members are training twice weekly to build the endurance and teamwork needed to pull off such a physically demanding event.
The route itself will take the replica helicopter through a range of local communities including Seascale, Gosforth, Beckermet, and St Bees, before moving further afield to towns such as Whitehaven, Workington, Cockermouth, Keswick, and Penrith. The club is encouraging members of the public to come out and cheer them on as they pass through, adding a much-needed boost to their morale and helping to raise awareness of their cause.
Fundraising is already well underway, with the club having raised over £16,000 through a series of events including a charity muck haul, a helicopter-themed beetle drive, a Mother’s Day afternoon tea, a community tractor run, and through generous sponsorship donations. With the main event still to come, Drigg YFC is hoping to significantly build on this total.
The club is also harnessing the power of social media to spread the word, inviting the public to follow their journey by searching for #WellyTheHeli on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Updates on the route and live coverage of the challenge itself will be shared across these platforms.
Anyone wishing to support Drigg YFC’s incredible efforts can do so by reaching out via their social media pages or by donating directly to their fundraising campaign using the QR code shared in their promotional materials.
With enthusiasm, determination, and a strong sense of community, Drigg YFC is ready to ‘push to new heights’ for a cause that saves lives every day. #WellyTheHeli
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