BLOOD BIKES PROVIDING ‘VITAL SERVICE ACROSS FIFE’ SAYS MSP

Published date : 29 Apr 2020

Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP, Jenny Gilruth, has commended the work of charity, Blood Bikes Scotland, for helping NHS Fife respond to the unprecedented health challenges posed by Covid-19 coronavirus.

Blood Bikes have been operating across Scotland since 2012 and provide a free volunteer-run motorcycle courier service to a number of NHS Scotland health boards, including NHS Fife.

Since the coronavirus outbreak began, the charity has been providing 24 shifts a week to help NHS Fife, including motorcycles dedicated to serving the COVID-19 testing centre at Cameron Hospital in Windygates and the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

Blood Bikes expanded their services to NHS Fife in 2019 and were initially contracted for two shifts per week delivering medical instruments, paperwork, and baby milk across the Kingdom.

The running cost of the organisation is approximately £3,500 per month. With fundraising activities being halted due to the pandemic, Blood Bikes Scotland are calling on donations to help sustain the service through these difficult times. Online donations can be made through their website: https://bloodbikesscotland.co.uk/donate.

Commenting on Blood Bikes’ work locally, Jenny Gilruth MSP said:

“Blood Bikes Scotland is providing a vital service across Fife to support our NHS as we face up to the greatest peacetime challenge in our lifetimes.

“The charity is providing additional support for free during the coronavirus outbreak, which is helping to lighten the load for our NHS by transporting samples, medicines, and medical instruments across the Kingdom and beyond. I know Blood Bikes will make good use of any donations they receive at this time.

“Here in Mid Fife and Glenrothes, the community response in the fight against coronavirus has been second to none. I am grateful to every individual, community group and charity who are playing their part to support the most vulnerable in our society and to all my constituents who are following the government’s advice to stay at home to protect our NHS and save lives.”

Derrick Sachs, a Kennoway local and Volunteer Rider with Blood Bikes Scotland, said:

“Blood Bikes Scotland has been operating in Scotland for several years providing a free service utilising a fleet of liveried motorcycles.

“Up to the last few weeks, this has been a weekend service in Fife but now due to the COVID-19 pandemic our services have been called upon ever increasingly. This is a great saving to NHS Fife and the wider Scottish NHS who would otherwise use taxis or courier services.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, public fundraising has been postponed which is having an impact on our charities fundraising activities. The running cost of the charity, which is staffed by volunteers with every penny raised going towards its running, is approximately £3,500 per month.

“We hope to raise awareness of our work to the wider public who may not be aware of our existence and work, and thank Jenny Gilruth MSP for her support in raising this awareness.”

ENDS

Local Reporters