Tractor-mad charity legend launches Easter gift mission

A Welsh charity hero who once drove a JCB from John O’Groats to Lands’ End is launching a month-long Easter gift mission across north Wales.

Fundraiser Esmor Davies, now in his eighties, is delivering hundreds of Easter eggs and toys to children’s wards, hospices and charities across the region.

Twenty years ago, the civil engineer received a citation from Buckley Town Council for his unstinting devotion to charity work.

Over the last 40 years he has travelled across the world for good causes, from leading food convoys to bombed out communities in Bosnia, delivering aid to tsunami victims in Sri Lanka.

More recently he headed to war-torn Ukraine with items such as tools, jump leads, shovels, clothing, blankets, generators and other pieces of equipment.

At home Esmor is also known for his annual Christmas fundraising efforts, decking out his giant tractor with vibrant illuminations and playing musical melodies as he delivers gifts to children’s wards at hospitals, hospices, and community charities.

Esmor recently re-dedicated his tractor to his beloved daughter, Christine, who sadly died in 2021, aged 53, after suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis, so that his future charitable activities would be done in her name.

He said: “We have been successfully doing the Christmas gifts run for so long, that this year I figured why not go for Easter as well.

“I have redecorated the trailer tractor with Easter themed cuddly rabbits, chicks and other toys, along with Easter eggs and Easter themed games to deliver to local charitable causes over the month leading up to Easter Sunday.

“I have been amazed at how many people have got behind me with this, donating chocolate eggs, other sweet treats, and children’s gifts, all of which will be handed out on our journey.

“We’ll be heading to different hospices and hospitals across Denbighshire, Wrexham and Flintshire.

“I want to thank everyone who has got behind the idea and supported me with this, including the Pendine Park care organisation.”

Donation

Esmor was left stunned after Pendine Park handed over a bumper donation of eggs and cuddly toys to help power his latest kindness campaign, saying he “never expected anything like this. It is just cracking!

“There are so many eggs I can hardly fit them all in my car. It is so generous of everyone at Pendine Park to get behind my campaign like this.”

Pendine Park consultant artist in resident Sarah Edwards said they were keen to help Esmor on his mission.

She explained: “We first encountered Esmor at Christmas when he brought his tractor along to our care homes in Wrexham.

“His visit went down a treat with our residents so when we heard he was going to spread yet more joy over the Easter celebrations, we were happy to support him.”

The donation from Pendine Park, which is celebrating its 40^th anniversary, came via its Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT) which was established to help arts, cultural and community activities.

Boost

When Pendine Park staff heard about the cause, they gave it an extra boost by bringing in their own additional seasonal gifts to donate to Esmor’s campaign.

Sarah said: “The whole team here at Pendine has been so generous in getting behind Esmor’s Easter extravaganza. I want to thank them all for helping us provide such a bountiful donation.”

Fun-loving Esmor donned a bright yellow Easter chick suit when he turned up at Pendine Park’s Bryn Bella residential care home to collect the huge selection of treats.

He joked with residents and promised to make a return visit with his tractor to show them how wonderful it looks when fully decorated in Easter style.

He said: “We’ll sing some songs and have some great laughs to celebrate the start of spring.”

It is so wonderful to see the smiles and hear the laughter from young patients in hospital and at children’s hospices when we deliver these gifts, all donated from their local communities.

“It is an important way of showing them that no matter what they are going through they are not alone and they are always in our hearts.”