Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Lifestyle
Ffion Lewis

Homes Under The Hammer's Martin Roberts gives update on 26-hour 'mercy dash' to Ukraine

Homes Under The Hammer 's Martin Roberts has updated fans on his trip to offer aid to war-torn Ukraine.

The daytime TV star, 58, is currently embarking on a lengthy journey from the UK to the Poland/Ukraine border with supplies - a trek that will take him more than 26 hours in total.

Wanting to help the Ukrainian people, Martin is taking a van packed with medical supplies, sleeping bags, batteries, mobile phones, and much more.

You can read more Showbiz news here.

Before starting on his long journey, Martin became emotional while visiting Costco to buy the supplies after he was limited to how much Calpol he could buy.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday morning, the BBC presenter told his followers he had managed "a few hours sleep", after originally attempting to drive the whole way without stopping.

The property expert checked into a hotel in the Netherlands after "feeling tired" throughout the incredibly long drive.

Martin explained he was preparing for the second leg of his quest on Sunday morning - another 13 hour drive across Germany and Poland in order to reach the Ukraine border and provide those in need with supplies.

The dad-of-two has confessed he feels a "massive responsibility" to deliver the precocious supplies and he hopes to donate to those who have been displaced once he arrives.

Since Russia 's forces invaded neighbouring country Ukraine last month, many Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homeland and seek refugee in other countries.

"More than half of all refugees who have left Ukraine are in Poland. So, if there are five million, just imagine that we get 2.5m," Poland's president predicted when talking about the crisis to BBC’s Sunday Morning show.

Speaking in his latest social media update, the presenter updated fans on his progress, as he makes it his mission to help those impacted by Vladimir Putin's attacks on Ukraine.

"I’ve managed a few hours sleep and yeah, it’s a really tough day today, it’s another 13 hours on the road," he told his followers in the video shared to both Twitter and Instagram.

"Probably the longest day’s driving I’ve ever done, all the way down through Poland and a large portion of Germany.

"Lots of music on the stereo, lots of wine gums, and probably bits of Red Bull. Lots of Red Bull."

He continued: "We’ll just get on with it. The thing is, the thing that keeps me going is that there are people that are waiting, although they don’t know they’re waiting yet.

"They’re there and they don’t know we are coming, but we are, with these really important supplies.

"I feel quite a responsibility… a massive responsibility. But we’ll just get there."

Previously discussing the mission, which sees him drive from Bournemouth to Ukraine, he said: "Hopefully I'll be having the chance to see where this stuff goes, make sure it goes to the right places, and just do my bit. I'm not doing this for any other reason other than it is just me wanting to do what I can."

It was announced on Sunday that Mark Drakeford and Nicola Sturgeon have said both Wales and Scotland are willing to become “super-sponsors” for Ukrainian refugees.

The UK Government is set to launch a scheme where individuals and organisations can sponsor refugees to come into the country but the Welsh and Scottish first ministers told Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, they wanted to “maximise” their contribution and act as “super-sponsors”.

In the first wave, the first ministers said Scotland would expect to take in 3,000 and Wales 1,000. Under the plans more would be welcomed in later waves. Read the letter they sent to Michael Gove here. And go here to read about plans to offer people £350 a month to house Ukrainian refugees.

In Ukraine, efforts to get residents out is stepping out as Russian bombing increases. Read about reports of mass graves here.

To get the latest What's On newsletters from WalesOnline, click here

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.