With its roots going back over half a century, the concept of a rapid response motorcycle based charity, run by unpaid volunteers has an impressive track record. More than one of the current NABB member groups can proudly demonstrate in excess of three decades of continual service to the NHS and the wider community. Our riders, drivers, despatchers and fundraisers come from a variety of backgrounds, including Airline Pilots, Paramedics, Plumbers, Builders, Teachers, Vicars, Police officers, Professors and many more. They are all unpaid volunteers.
The last 12 years has seen the greatest increase in the number of blood bike groups, meaning that the UK mainland now has a ‘coast to coast’ blood bike service, provided free of charge to
the NHS. It is now fair to say that the blood bike industry has become an integral part of the NHS front line services, delivering a robust service to professional standards. The fact that it is
free of charge is just the icing on the cake.
Over the last decade or so, many ‘firsts’ have occurred and several significant milestones have been reached on the road to achieving our goal of being recognised as a professional front line
service.
Our members have established a nationwide donor milk collection and delivery service, now moving tens of thousands of litres of Human donor milk each year across the UK & Ireland. This product is considered to be a critical component in the treatment and recovery of sick, premature babies being cared for in hospital Neo Natal Intensive Care Units. Working in partnership with other specialist charities in that sector, such as UKAMB and the Human Milk Foundation our members have become an integral part of the NHS distribution infrastructure.
In 2008 Freewheelers EVS, operating in the Avon region, were the first to be awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), which is the equivalent of an MBE for a charity. To
date, a total of 15 blood bike charities have received this prestigious award, underpinning and recognising the professionalism and contribution to the community that these groups deliver.
Amongst some of the ‘firsts’ are the launch in 2015 of a national service to provide FMT (Faecal Microbiome Transplant) material, distributed from a specialist Midlands hospital to multiple locations across the country and, on a different topic, in partnership with another charity, the Civil Air Patrol, the first use of private light aircraft in a long distance relay.
So the next time you see a blood bike on the road, remember that the rider is an unpaid volunteer, working to professional standards and providing the service to the NHS, free of charge.
If you would like to hear more about what they then please contact me as they are more than willing to come along to one of your meetings.
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