Stuart returns home from 1,500-mile Ukraine odyssey - but without his bike
A Shropshire businessman who travelled to the Ukrainian border on a moped has returned home - but without his trusty 90cc bike.
Stuart Bratt, 58, from Highley, set off from Bridgnorth on Friday, February 24, on a 3,000-mile return trip to the war torn country, with nothing but a small tent and his Honda Cub, nicknamed "Hope".
The company director made it to the Polish/Ukrainian border last week after spending six days, three hours and forty-seven minutes in the saddle of his 35mph moped.
However, the former British championship motocross rider had to abandon the 39-year-old bike at a hotel near to the Polish Red Cross Centre in Lublin and returned home by plane.
Mr Bratt said: "I’m back home, after flying into Luton on Saturday morning. Hope, unfortunately, I deemed too tired for the return trip as she’s burning too much oil."
However, he said he achieved his aim, which was to raise awareness as to the closeness of Ukraine to the UK.
"One of the key aims of my ride/journey was to highlight to the UK people just how very close Ukraine is to us here in Britain," he said.
"After five days on a scooter at 30mph from Rotterdam, riding pretty much only in daylight hours, the reality is Ukraine and the Ukrainian people are our not so distant neighbours and therefore maybe we, as a country, should be doing more to help with their plight."
His journey has so far raised £2,000 for the The British Red Cross Society's Ukraine Crisis Appeal.
But Mr Bratt is not done yet. He intends to return to the Polish Red Cross Centre in Lublin to fetch his bike as well as to deliver aid for the people of Ukraine.
He said: "I will return to collect her [Hope] using another vehicle of some description, very soon. However, this provides yet another opportunity.
"Just this one Red Cross location has dispatched more than one-hundred and fifty truck loads of humanitarian aid, to just one specific area of Ukraine."
He said the aid charity has provided a list of items they require, including children’s shoes, hygiene products, medical equipment as well as foodstuffs.
Mr Bratt added: "My objective, now I’m back on UK soil is to contact the British Red Cross to see what I can do to help effect delivery of some of the above items, so desperately required."
His JustGiving page is still open for donations at justgiving.com/page/stuart-bratt-rides-to-ukraine
