We're delighted to confirm that Blood Bikes Cumbria will be with us on Saturday with eight of their members holding a bucket collection around the ground ahead of kick-off.
Blood Bikes Cumbria chairman Jim White said: “Firstly, may I offer my congratulations to Carlisle United following their promotion to League One!
"Can I also add my sincere thanks to The Blues for their long-standing support to Blood Bikes Cumbria. It’s a privilege to be at the first home game of the League One season and we look forward to seeing you all when we bring our blood bikes down to the fan zone prior to the match.
"We will be outside the stadium from 1.30 pm until kick-off, raising funds for Blood Bikes Cumbria. We are a charity and are run by volunteers who freely give up their time and energy to support our NHS and Great North Air Ambulance.
"All our members are unpaid and it costs our charity money to keep our bikes on the road, so every penny we raise is vital to continue our lifesaving service.
"We save the NHS and Great North Air Ambulance in the region of £400,000 a year delivering critical blood supplies and urgent specimens 365 days a year 24/7.
"More importantly, we are there for you: and we deliver without fail. We are proud to support our community in their time of need, both Cumbrians and visitors alike.
"So please give what you can, and we look forward to seeing you all on Saturday. So, C’mon You Blues! Let’s start with a win!”
Who are We?
Blood Bikes Cumbria is a locally based Charity operating throughout north and west Cumbria, registered in England (No. 1159026). We are all volunteers; we freely give up our time through choice. We wholly rely on fundraising to maintain a continual 365 days a year 24/7 service to the NHS and Great North Air Ambulance. We currently have 150 members: all are unpaid and willingly give up their free time and energy for the benefit of our community and for the benefit of others. We are always looking to recruit more members: all our riders & drivers have advanced rider or driver qualifications and receive expert on the job training. It’s a rewarding and satisfying role, one that gives so much back to others in their time of need.
What Do We Do?
Blood Bikes Cumbria provides free ‘out of hours’ cover for the NHS. Every day, we transport vital lifesaving blood and laboratory samples between hospitals in Cumbria and from the Cumberland Infirmary Carlisle to specialist laboratories in Newcastle, including the Royal Victoria Infirmary, The Freeman Hospital and the northern region National Blood and Transplant Service facility. Our service saves the NHS £400K annually, but more importantly we ensure that urgent blood and samples are delivered as soon as possible. Additionally, we deliver a daily supply of blood to the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA) ‘The Pride of Cumbria’ based at Langwathby and return unused items to Newcastle with the help of a relay provided by Northumberland Blood Bikes. We save the GNAA over £80K annually. The Pride of Cumbria medical team has achieved over 500 lifesaving blood transfusions throughout Cumbria: we are incredibly proud to play our part in delivering this vital life-saving capability.
Key Stats
2022-23
Routine Daily Runs: 1,038
Urgent Call Outs: 823
Where are we?
We operate from four centres around north and west Cumbria. Our members live at various locations throughout Cumbria. We have bikes and cars at the following locations:
Carlisle: Supporting the Cumberland Infirmary Carlisle (CIC) and Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS); 2 motorbikes and 2 cars.
Whitehaven: Supporting the West Cumberland Hospital (WCH) Whitehaven; 2 motorbikes and 1 car.
Cockermouth: Supporting WCH; 1 motorbike and 1 car.
Penrith: Supporting GNAAS and CIC; 1 motorbike and 1 car.
