Blood Bikes, the volunteer group that transports urgent medical supplies between NHS Grampian hospitals, has just taken delivery of a new vehicle.
But despite the name — and the fact that many of its members are bikers — it’s not a bike.
It’s a car.
“We primarily use bikes,” explains Mike Sinclair, a Blood Bikes volunteer. “But the cars are used more and more for larger pieces of equipment, or when the weather’s bad.”
That’s not the only surprise. Blood Bikes, or to give it its full name the North East Rider Volunteers Scotland (NERVS) Blood Bikes, doesn’t actually transport blood.
Ever think about changing the name?
Mike laughs. “Yeah, it’s a wee bit of misnomer that,” he says, explaining that their counterparts in England handle blood, but in Scotland the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service takes care of that.
Here, the team focuses on delivering medicine and medical equipment.
But the name still fits, because many of the volunteers that make up Blood Bikes are committed members of the local motorcycle scene, whether that’s riding them or fixing them up – or both.
“If you’ve got bikes in your blood then you’ve always got bikes in your blood,” says Angus Beacom, a Blood Bike volunteer who bought his first motorbike – a 50cc Yamaha – in 1978.
How the new car will help Blood Bikes
Now, thanks to funding from the George and Ina Baxter Foundation, that community has been able to expand its fleet with the purchase of a brand-new Kia Ceed, unveiled to the Press and Journal at the Blood Bikes HQ in Torry.
The new car will be invaluable, particularly in poor weather when motorcycles are unsafe to use.
Blood Bikes operates a fleet of three motorcycles and two cars, covering areas from Aberdeen to Elgin.
The group works closely with other volunteer Blood Bike organisations across the UK, including Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes and Blood Bike Scotland, which covers Edinburgh and Forth Valley.
Alex Stephen, NHS Grampian’s Director of Finance, is a strong supporter of Blood Bikes.
“We’re really grateful for the support they provide, and also for the volunteers,” he says. “Volunteers play an important part in working with staff to help deliver benefits. It’s a really impressive model.”
He adds that NHS Grampian is working with the group to identify further opportunities for collaboration.
“We’ve got a project team around to really understand where we could get the biggest benefit. The work they do is great, and it’s a good model for other voluntary organisations to think about.”
Blood Bikes save the NHS money
The benefits are already clear.
Blood Bikes offers NHS Grampian a free service, saving the health board money that would otherwise be spent on transport costs.
One example, Mike recalls, involved a request from Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to transport a small box of medical supplies to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. The hospital was quoted £300 for a taxi.
“They contacted Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes and asked if they could help,” he explains.
“They reached out to us, and we arranged a relay system. The supplies were picked up in Raigmore, driven to Elgin, where one of our volunteers met them, then driven to Aberdeen. That’s just one example of how we’ve saved the NHS money.”
The team’s previous vehicle, which has clocked nearly 190,000 miles since Blood Bikes was founded in 2017, will now be used for fundraising and awareness events while the new Kia Ceed takes over operational duties.
With around 80 to 90 volunteers, Blood Bikes relies entirely on donations and fundraising efforts as well as local goodwill.
The group was able to buy the new Kia because of a 35% discount from Crown Commercial. Dyce firm Signs Express also applied the car’s livery for free.
“They’ve helped us out fairly significantly,” Mike says.
From Torry to the north east: Blood Bikes is expanding
The new car will ensure the team can continue providing their vital service, even in the harshest conditions.
“We’re getting a fleet that’s operable and fit for what we need to do,” says Mike. “With the resources we’ve got here and in Aberdeen, we’ll hopefully be able to support the demands of the NHS even more.”
The George and Ina Baxter Foundation, established by the family behind the famous Baxters Food Group, has long supported good causes across Aberdeenshire, Moray, and the north of Scotland. Since Gordon Baxter’s passing in 2013, the foundation has awarded over £2 million to various initiatives.
‘Wheelieing up and down Union Street’
Some of the Blood Bikes volunteers have already taken the new car out on the roads, and the early verdict is positive.
But for a group built around motorbikes, four wheels will never quite match the thrill of two.
Mike even admits that volunteering with Blood Bikes has made him a better rider, thanks to the advanced training all volunteers complete.
But does that mean there’s ever a temptation to open up the throttle when the roads are clear?
Mike laughs again.
“That probably paints a picture of these guys wheelieing up and down Union Street,” he says.
“No, it doesn’t work like that.”
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