RAF Red Arrows Scooter takes Pride of Place at Stonham Barns Park

 Leisure group picks up unique Vespa for permanent display at venue

 Stonham Barns Park has acquired one of the scooters used by the RAF Red Arrow pilots and 4 pilots from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in the sponsored scooter ride that crossed the UK in support of several charities in 2010 – including Help for Heroes, the RAF Association, fly2help, Whizz-Kids and the RAF Benevolent Fund.  The scooter was Red One in the challenge ridden by the then Squadron Leader Ben Murphy.

The pilots took 4 days to travel on the RAF Red Arrows LEJOG Scooter Challenge on Vespa 125 S scooters from Land’s End to John O’Groats to complete the 1000-mile journey at the end of the 2010 display season.  A flight in a Red Arrow would take an hour to cover the same distance.

Explains Stonham Barns Park owner Alan Forward, ‘We are thrilled to have been able to purchase one of the iconic Vespa Piaggio scooters used in this marvellous charity event.  It is a stunning exhibit for us to have here at our holiday, retail and leisure venue for all our visitors to enjoy.  We already have a speciality motor museum and stage car and motorcycle events here and so it seemed a natural addition to the collection.’

‘The RAF and members of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight did the UK proud with this fund-raiser and we could not be more honoured to have it here at Stonham Barns Park.’

‘We are looking forward to sharing our find with many others who will appreciate the awesome achievement of the pilots.  We understand that they enjoyed the scenery of the UK if not the weather!’

‘The Vespa is more than a means of transport; it’s a lifestyle and it is one that we can relate to with the long summer nights ahead.’

Stonham Barns Park will have the Red Arrows LEJOG Scooter Challenge bike on display at its forthcoming Motorcycle Show on Sunday 9 May.

Stonham Barns Park is a day out for all the family to suit all ages. Other activities at the leisure, retail and holiday venue include The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, The Bistro, Adventure Golf, a Teapot Pottery, a nine-hole golf course, holiday lodges, a caravan park, camping and glamping, an indoor play barn and fishing lakes.

Stonham Barns Park has been awarded the VisitEngland ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry charter mark which verifies that the attraction meets the Government and Public Health guidance on Covid-19.  All the required health and safety processes are in place including hand sanitising stations, social distancing and NHS Track & Trace check-in.