Leicestershire and Rutland Blood Bikes are a group of volunteers, which provide a free out of hours courier service to public health bodies in the two counties.
They specialise in transporting blood, blood products, pathology samples, patient notes, x-rays, patient scans, surgical equipment, donated breast milk – in fact anything where there is an immediate need to transport an item that will directly benefit patient care.
The charity supports the local authorities in Leicestershire and Rutland between 7pm and 6am, Monday to Friday, with 24 hour cover at weekends and during public holidays.
They are not an emergency service but work with the hospitals to meet their transport needs in an efficient, safe and timely manner.
The group also provides support to the local Air Ambulance, delivering blood each evening for use by the trauma teams at any incident to which they are called.
In addition the charity collects donated breast milk from donating mothers in Leicestershire and Rutland and transports it to the Women’s Hospital in Birmingham for processing and subsequent distribution to neo-natal units.
In 2021 the Randal Charitable Foundation provided funding towards the purchase of a new fleet motorbike.
For more information about Leicestershire & Rutland Blood Bikes visit here