Message from the Chairman:
Thank you for visiting.
Blood Bike groups essentially need two things - volunteers and financial help. If you would like to support us at the corporate level, volunteer for a local group, start a new group or just want to find out more, please get in touch via our contact page. If you want to give us a few pounds then please use the BT MyDonate button on the left.
The Prescott Bike Festival, the inaugural event last year - a major fund raising initiative - was hailed a great success, attracting over 5,500 visitors. My thanks to all the volunteers and public for their support and generosity. This year's date is set for April 22nd 2012, please visit www.prescottbikefestival.co.uk for more information.
I urge you to browse your regional area group's web site for the many events that our members support and attend each year.
Gordon Downie, Chair
The Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes (NABB) is a registered charity (number 1139714) that represents a group of established charities operating across the UK. NABB's principle aims are to: aid the formation of new groups; assist member groups achieve their objectives; define a minimum operating standard for all members and raise awareness / sponsorship for the benefit of all NABB members. Each NABB member performs a similar service, using motorcycles (and sometimes cars) to provide an out-of-hours 'medical essentials' courier service to hospitals and other health institutions within their area. The charities carry urgently needed medical items such as blood, biological samples, medical notes, x-rays and scans. The service is offered free of charge to the NHS and all members are unpaid volunteers.
The existing NABB members reach more than 65% of the country's population, with the expansion planned in 2012, it will extend blood bike coverage to 46 million people. Will your next journey save a life? Ours could.
Blood Bike groups include: (NABB Member = NM)
- Cornwall Freewheelers - Cornwall (NM)
- Devon Freewheelers - Devon (NM)
- Freewheelers EVS - Bristol, Bath, Somerset, parts of Wiltshire (NM)
- Midland Freewheelers - West Midlands (NM)
- ScotsERVS - the greater Glasgow area
- SERV - Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Northamptonshire, London, Oxfordshire South Wiltshire, Surrey, Sussex, Suffolk (NM)
- Severn Freewheelers - Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, parts of Wiltshire (NM)
- Whiteknights - North & West Yorkshire, Clevland (Teeside) (NM)
- Yeovil Freewheelers - South Somerset, parts of Dorset
You can purchase our really cool Blood Runners clothing from Red Torpedo.
Blood Bikes will save lives during the 2012 Olympics
The private courier company that provides transport for NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) have predicted that blood deliveries during the 2012 Olympics could be at risk if their vans get stuck in traffic.
There is an obvious solution to this — Blood Bikes! A number of charities have been delivering blood across the UK since the 1960s. The reason we use bikes is that they are perfect for cutting through heavy traffic. So medical staff and patients can rest assured — if London and other Olympic locations grind to a halt, the blood deliveries will still get through as two wheels triumph over four.
Reference: "Blood delay fears" Michael Hurst, BBC News, January 2012