MATLOCK PROBUS CLUB

At the February meeting of Matlock Probus Club our Chairman, Roger Flint, welcomed members and our Speaker for the meeting, Andy Statham from Blood Bikes.

Andy told the meeting about the work done by the Blood Bikes, an organisation which is entirely dependent upon donations from the public and organisations and also contributions from companies who on occasions have donated money towards motorbikes and cars. Cars are used in inclement weather and for larger items that will not fit into a motorbike pannier carrier.

Items they carry range from blood samples, to donated breast milk and they can travel many miles in a day to deliver these urgent goods. As they are not perceived as an “emergency service”, they do not have flashing blue lights to give them priority on the road nor are they able to ignore red traffic lights.

The Blood Bikes are available for 24/7 and 365 days a year. The organisation was started by Margaret Ryerson in 1962 (and we were shown a photograph of the lady with her motorbike!). They are based at Kingsway Fire Station in Derby, they use a fleet of BMW motorbikes and they have 4 cars on standby.

All are volunteers and they are organised by Controllers who map out the journeys for the riders. They pick up and deliver to Royal Derby Hospital, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Burton Queens Hospital, plus local smaller hospitals, GPs, Clinics and Health Centres. The volunteers worked all through Covid transporting different items including documents and equipment and in 2020 they did 8260 consignment deliveries.

Derby Blood Bikes started as a Charity in 2011 and their first runs were in 2012. There are 117 volunteers and the organisation is thought to have saved the NHS in the region of £450,000. No charge is made for their services, everything including fuel, road tax and insurance is paid for by donations from the public and organisations’ donations.

All the vehicles have a tracking system which is used to track where bikers/cars are – for the safety of the drivers and also theft. It takes around £70,000 a year to operate the Blood Bikes (this includes around £25,000 a year for fuel).

A really interesting illustrated talk by Andy which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the members.

A vote of thanks was given by Nigel Carabine