Queens Award for Voluntary Services presentation


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Queens Award for Voluntary Services presentation

Members from North West Blood Bikes - Lancs & Lakes attended County Hall in Preston on 4th July 2016 to receive their Queens Award for Voluntary Services from Lord Shuttleworth KG KCVO Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire.

The honour, which is the equivalent of an MBE was awarded by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on the 2nd of June 2016 in recognition of the charity freely delivering life saving items for the NHS out of hours.

Representing the charity at the presentation ceremony was Secretary/Rider Graham Miller, East area rider Paul Hartley, West area rider Andy Downey, Founder and Chairman Paul Brooks, Founder Graham Jones, Training Manager/Rider Paul Hatton, Recruitment Manager/Controller Jen Makinson and Controller Julie McCorkindale. The charity operates in Lancashire and South Lakes and provides its service free of charge to the NHS Trusts of Morecambe Bay, East Lancashire, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, Fylde and Southport and Formby.

Run entirely by around 300 volunteers made up of riders, controllers and fundraisers, the charity transports urgent and emergency items including samples and theatre equipment not only between hospitals in their area, but also as part of a larger network of independent Blood Bike charities can transport items throughout the country, mainly at night and during weekends. Because of the life saving work they do, the volunteers are often referred to as Angels on Two wheels.

The riders, many of whom use their own bikes and pay for their own fuel cover approximately 10,000 miles per month. In 2016, the charities controllers have dispatched riders on almost 6,000 runs.

Upon being presented with the award from Lord Shuttleworth, founder and Chairman of North West Blood Bikes, Paul Brooks said “We have only been operating for 4 years and we are the largest and busiest Blood Bike Group in the UK, with over 300 volunteers. This award is the highest award a volunteer group can receive and we are all very proud of the fact that Her Majesty the Queen chose to honour us this way”



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