A father whose son received a life-saving heart transplant at Royal Papworth hospital is donating all the proceeds from the sale of his 1991 Ford 7810 Silver Jubilee tractor to the Cambridge-based hospital.
Michael Burdge who founded an agricultural machinery business near Bristol, North Somerset, has a deeply personal reason for parting with his classic tractor. Four years ago, his son Ed was just 17 when he was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. After weeks in hospital trying to stabilise his condition, a heart transplant became his only chance of survival. Ed spent three months at Royal Papworth before receiving a new heart thanks to the selfless gift of an organ donor.
Today, Ed is thriving and has gone on to set up his own business. Having experienced first-hand the importance of the hospital environment during Ed’s life-saving treatment, Michael wanted to give something back and help other families facing similarly difficult circumstances.
Michael Burdge and son, Ed, in front of the 1991 Ford 7810 Silver Jubilee tractor.
Estimated to fetch between £25,000 and £30,000, al the proceeds from the sale of the classic Silver Jubilee tractor will support Royal Papworth Hospital charity’s Brighter Spaces, Brighter Futures appeal, to help fund the transformation of two patient and family day rooms on hospital inpatient wards.
“When my son Ed became seriously ill, Royal Papworth became my family’s whole world,” says Mike. “During Ed’s time at the hospital, we experienced first-hand the incredible care and compassion shown by staff, but we also saw how important the hospital environment is for patients and families facing long stays. Having a welcoming space to step away from the bedside, gather your thoughts, spend time together, or simply catch your breath can make an enormous difference during some of life’s most challenging moments.”
All the proceeds from the sale of the Silver Jubilee tractor will go to Papworth, but it is not the only Ford tractor being auctioned by Cheffins in the Michael Burdge collection. Others include a 1981 Ford FW-30, 1988 Ford TW-35 S.II, 1989 Ford TW-25 S.II, 1975 Ford 7000, 1993 Ford 8830 powershift, 1991 Ford 8630 Dual Power, 1988 Ford 6610 S.II and a 1986 Ford 6610 S.II. There are also a number of Massey Ferguson (includes a 1974 1200 and a more modern 2020 8730S DynaVT), plus a 1983 Fendt 614 Favorit LSA Turbomatik.
“Michael Burdge is a long-standing client of Cheffins and his collection is bound to generate interest among vintage tractor collecting circles,” comments Oliver Godfrey, head of machinery sales at Cheffins. “The Silver Jubilee is a particularly collectable tractor, being a rare, limited-edition. We would expect that this will attract much interest at auction, particularly bearing in mind its provenance of having been a part of Michael’s collection.”
Online bidding for the rare 1991 Silver Jubilee tractor, and the rest of the Michael Burdge collection, starts on Monday 2nd November 2026 at 10am and ends on Tuesday 10th November 10am.
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