This tour came about because I lost my best friend in 2023 who I knew since I was 6 yrs old. It reminded me that also at the age of 6 yrs I can remember going to Ilminster Bradfords with my father to meet the steam train to pick up a train wagon load of bricks for J.V Baker Ltd Broadway in a Bedford Tipper lorry. My connection with Bradfords now extends into 5 generations of the family - first my grandfather, J.V Baker, then my dad and Uncle, my own business, our sons businesses, and now even our grandsons visiting in a ride out in the van.

My wife and I wanted to do something in memory of my friend, Roger and his first wife, Margaret who died in 2012, and to raise money for Brain Tumour Research and Pancreatic Cancer Research in their memories, so we are doing a Charity Road Trip in our 1972 Ford Transit Tipper visiting all 45 Bradfords branches covering Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and Gloucestershire.

We plan to start on Monday 15th September 2025 from Ilminster, and aim to complete all 45 branches over a two-week period, and of course returning back to where it all began in Ilminster.

Thank you for your support.

Mike Baker