North West Blood Bikes – Lancs & Lakes are currently looking for volunteer riders in the West Lancs area

North West Blood Bikes – Lancs & Lakes are currently looking for volunteer riders in the West Lancs area.

Our West area serves Southport and Formby NHS Trust and operates between Ormskirk, Southport and Whiston Hospitals. On occasions, the riders also travel to the NHS Blood and Transplant unit in Speke to collect vital blood supplies.

Our riders work on a completely voluntary basis.

Riding their own bikes, they transport blood products and samples etc. between the hospitals when the hospitals’ own transport has finished for the day. The alternative to our riders doing the runs is a taxi or courier which is very expensive for the hospitals.

Our operational hours are 19:00 – 02:00 Monday to Thursday and 19:00 Friday to 02:00 Monday split into 12 hour shifts (7-7).

Riders are only required to do two shifts each month but riders often volunteer to cover more than this.

Working from home, riders await a call from one of our controllers who receive the request from the hospital. They then call the rider and give them details of the run.  Contact is maintained at each collection and delivery point.

Martin Walsh, West area manager said “As motorcyclists we enjoy riding our bikes and the pleasure is magnified by the knowledge that we are saving the NHS so much money that can be better spent on staffing and patient care. It is very satisfying when sometimes we hear of the positive outcome as a result of what we have done.”

If you have a suitable bike (you may be required to carry a large box on the rear), live within 20 minutes of Ormskirk and/or Southport hospitals and are interested in riding for us, please visit www.nwbb-lancs.org, follow the volunteer menu at the top and register your interest. One of our team will be in touch with you.

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