A SCOOTER enthusiast from Barry is preparing for a gruelling charity fundraiser where he will attempt to visit all three British mainland capital cities in less than 24 hours in a round trip covering 956.5 miles.
Jason Ude, 52, is set to begin the Three Nation Capital Charity Scooter Run journey on his Vespa GTS 250 outside Cardiff Castle at 8pm on the evening of Friday, 3rd March, where he will set off for Trafalgar Square in London and then head north to Edinburgh Castle before the return journey to the Welsh capital.
Jason is undertaking the challenge for Marie Curie in memory of his friend Mike Whyman, who was cared for at the Penarth hospice prior to his death from bowel and liver cancer in October. Mike is survived by his wife Louise and a baby son who recently turned a year old.
Jason attended Romilly Primary School and Barry Comprehensive, and first became interested in scooters at the age of eight.
The rules of the challenge stipulate that it has to be completed in less than 24 hours, only allowing stops for fuel and short breaks.
During the last decade, Jason has used his passion for scooters as a way of raising money for good causes.
In 2015, he travelled a ‘lap of Wales’ in 24 hours, covering 13 towns in a single day on a 521-mile circuit, raising funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
This will be the third occasion Jason has attempted the Three Nation Capital City Scooter Run: “The first one I did was in 2020 during the lockdown where I raised money for Breast Cancer Care.
“I had to seek special permission to do it because of the strict rules that were in force at the time, but they granted it because my stops were short and I agreed to comply with the regulations.
“There was so little traffic everywhere, especially in London, and I managed to do it in 19 hours and 15 minutes.
“The following year, I raised money for Wales Air Ambulance, but this was harder and it took 21 hours and 28 minutes.
“I began to feel very sleepy when I reached Gloucester, so I drank some Red Bull and then I was alright. The adrenaline kicked in on the M50 because I knew I wasn’t that far from home and that people would be there to greet me when I arrived,” he said.
Last year, Jason undertook a different challenge when he rode from King Square, Barry to John O’Groats and back again in 36 hours to raise money for the Sarcoma UK in memory of another friend, Sean Gannon, a father-of-two who died on Christmas Day 2021 at the age of just 36 after a two-year battle with synovial sarcoma.
Having lost two close friends in the space of a year, Jason is keen to do Mike proud as he undertakes the Three Nation Capital Charity Scooter Run for the third time: “Mike had been a friend of mine since childhood. He was very well-known in Barry and he fought his illness with bravery and dignity.
“Marie Curie gave him wonderful care at their hospice in Penarth and it’s good to give Mike’s many friends, along with people who never knew him, the opportunity to show their appreciation for the work that they do to support those suffering from terminal illness along with their families,” he said.
Jason is also a DJ and he recently held a fundraiser for the Whyman family at Barry West End Club: “We had a great night and almost all tickets were sold. It was lovely to see so many people there to show their support for Mike’s family and to do something nice for his widow Louise in the run-up to their son’s first birthday,” he said.
Donations to the upcoming scooter run fundraiser in aid of Marie Curie can be made on Jason Ude’s Facebook page here, where a ‘donate’ button can be found near the top of the page.
Report by MARCUS STEAD, Reporter
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