'For my dad and me' - Devon man to carry father’s ashes on 1,014-mile mission

A Cullompton biker is preparing to retrace an "unforgettable" road trip to honour the memory of his father, a former member of the Special Boat Service.

Stuart Douglas, 42,  will travel from Land’s End to John O’Groats to scatter his father's ashes and raise funds for the veterans’ charity Help for Heroes.

The 1,014-mile journey, which begins on 3 May, is a tribute to a 2008 road trip Stuart shared with his father, Iain.

The original trip, taken via A and B roads because his father held a 125cc motorcycle licence, raised more than £1,200 for the British Heart Foundation after Iain suffered a mild heart attack.

Now riding under the banner “Riding 4 Troops”, Stuart is fundraising in recognition of his father’s military service. Iain joined the Royal Marines at 18 and served for more than 10 years, including a spell with the Special Boat Service.

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“This journey is my way of honouring my father and our unforgettable ride together, while once again raising funds - only this time in aid of Help for Heroes,” Stuart said.

“I’ve called it ‘Riding 4 Troops’. I want to do it, not just for Help for Heroes, but for my dad and me, which is why I’ve chosen to do it by myself, because I think it’s going to be really emotional.”

He has set a fundraising target of £1,000. “I’d like to raise more than that,” he said. “I’ve got quite a small circle of friends and family, so I’m trying to push it out via my YouTube channel and through the Trail Riders Fellowship.”

Stuart has spent months preparing physically for the ride. “I’ve lost 30kg over the last six to eight months and I’ve been trying to trim back the bike as well, to make it as lean as possible,” he said.

During the journey, he plans to stop at places he and his father visited in 2008 and hopes to scatter his father’s ashes at the Commando Memorial in Scotland.

“I know saying I want ‘closure’ sounds cliched, but I’m hoping to make some new memories from my previous memories,” he said.

Help for Heroes supports veterans and their families with physical and mental health, welfare and social needs, assisting more than 5,000 people last year.