Blood Bikes charity receives donation from Highland fuel company for vital courier service
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A charity which transports vital medical supplies and samples free of charge for NHS Highland is to receive a £5000 donation to help keep its motorbikes on the road.
Highland and Islands Blood Bikes will receive the funding from Highland Fuels.
It will be used to help keep its two Inverness-based bikes running.
They are a vital cog for the charity and often link up with its other fleet bikes in Caithness, Fort William or Oban when transporting supplies.
It will mean urgent samples such as bloods or Covid-19 tests between hospitals and healthcare facilities and the medical laboratories at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness can continue to operate.
After the charity recently finished a six-month trial period to transport supplies, its partnership with NHS Highland is set to continue permanently with plans to expand where the charity has the capacity to deliver.
Ross Sharp, president of Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes, said: "We are continually looking to source substantial funding like this.
"It is what keeps us alive.
"The pandemic has greatly restricted our fundraising activity whilst at the same time it has kept us extremely busy, some months we are running over 12,000 miles across the Highland area.
"Operational running costs, like fuel, tyres, brakes and the general wear and tear on our fleet, has taken its toll on our finances.
"This donation to help run our Inverness bikes is just great.
"Being able to fund the bikes in this way will make a huge difference.
"This will keep our operations running and in turn this will help the NHS and improve their patient experience by ensuring samples, and other important items, are processed more quickly."
Stephen Rhodes, managing director of Highland Fuels, said the company was delighted to support the life critical service provided by the charity. "The team are providing vital support to our wonderful National Health Service across the North of Scotland - especially at this extremely challenging time," he said.
"It was without hesitation that we wanted to get involved."
Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes are part of a UK-wide network of blood bikes supporting the NHS
Further information including how to become a volunteer, make a donation or becoming a sponsor can be found at www.haibloodbikes.co.uk
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