Little did they know at that time, just how their ambitious aim of setting up a blood bike group for Norfolk would be. Just like any start up group or charity they faced the same problems. Finance, the logistics of acquiring 2 motorbikes, recruitment and training the controllers and riders, and making it sustainable going forward. Their aim was to go live in October 2011 for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn, and in November, the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, & the James Paget Hospital. A lot of fundraising went on, and companies were approached for sponsorship. A 24hr ride from East Point in Lowestoft to Lands End and back, 900 miles in all raised £7,000 in sponsorship, but it wasn’t enough. So, 2 of the committee members lent the money to buy 2 second-hand bikes and enough left over to keep them going, while they continued the fundraising. They went live on 15th October with a collection & delivery for the QEH. In all to the end of March 2012, 82 callouts had been carried out. On 7th February, this year, the total tasks carried out, had grown to 10,700 tasks, including 1439 Covid test samples.
Fleet: A Honda Pan European, named Katie, and a BMW R1200 RTP, named Emily.
The founding Committee deserve a huge vote of thanks for starting Norfolk’s own blood bike group. Thank you for all you did in getting us up and running. Since then, the charity has gone from strength to strength. The fleet has grown to 12 bikes and 4 cars, but it’s founding principles have never changed and are true today as they were then. 100% voluntary and free of charge to the Hospitals, Air Ambulance, and the Donated Breast Milk banks and Nicu’s.
Our motto is “We’ll go no matter what” and we stand by that, we’ve never turned down any request, ever!
Happy Anniversary Norfolk Blood Bikes, bring on the next 10 years.