Halifax Financial Planners launch new car for Voluntary Service.

Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes has unveiled a new car to transport urgent blood and pathology samples, medication and donated breast milk around the region.

The Halifax-based charity, which received the Kings Award For Voluntary Service earlier this year, has 25 volunteer Blood Bike Riders in West Yorkshire who will now use the car in adverse weather conditions or when larger consignments require urgent delivery.

The new Dacia car has been jointly purchased by Halifax Financial Planners, Investing For Tomorrow. It’s Director, Toby Turner said at the unveiling; “ We’re delighted to see the car, now in its reflective livery, launched into service.

“Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes travel thousands of miles annually across the region making urgent deliveries during the night and at weekends. This is done at no charge or cost to the NHS.

“It’s a remarkable service run entirely by volunteers to benefit hospital and hospice patients. We’re thrilled that the car we jointly purchased, will support their work in the community for years to come.”

West Yorkshire Regional Manager for Whiteknights, Matthew Butterfield added:

“We really appreciate the level of support we have received from Investing For Tomorrow.

Not only have we previously received sponsorship for a Blood Bike motorcycle, but it’s the on-going understanding of the service we provide that our charity values too.

“We are not funded in any way by the NHS – which is a common misconception. So its excellent to receive recognition and support from a local Halifax business.”

At the unveiling it was announced the car is to be named in remembrance of a former Whiteknights West Yorkshire volunteer rider, Maurice Greenwood.

Pictured: from Investing For Tomorrow, Callum Mulready, Naomi Grierson, Toby Turner, Laurence Turner and Matthew Butterfield from Whiteknights.

Widows Sons Lodge support their sponsored Blood Bike…

Members of the Widows Sons Masonic Biker Lodge have announced their continued sponsorship of the official Widows Sons Lodge Blood Bike.

Ian Gregson, Worshipful Master of the Widows Sons Lodge in the Province of Yorkshire North and East Riding, presented another donation of £3000 to Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes Advanced Qualified Rider, John Driscoll.

Ian said, “We are extremely proud of the service to patients that the Widows Sons Blood Bike delivers in the North Yorkshire area. This will be the third donation we have made to support the motorcycle.

We are also delighted with the news that Whiteknights have been awarded the Kings Award For Voluntary Service. It’s very much deserved, the volunteers do a remarkable job 365 days a year.”

John presented Ian with a Whiteknights Champions certificate to recognise their fundraising contributions to the Yorkshire Blood Bike charity.

Every Little helps….

Thank you to colleagues & customers at Tesco Store Brighouse for presenting Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes with £384 raised through charitable book sales.
We appreciate all the support we receive in the West Yorkshire community.

Award from King Charles received…

On Friday evening Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes were presented with our Kings Award For Voluntary Service – the MBE for Voluntary Groups.

HM Lord-Lieutenant For West Yorkshire, Ed Anderson CBE presented the Award with a hand-signed certificate from King Charles III to our Chairman, Andrew Foster.Other guest dignitaries attending were two Deputy Lieutenants, The High Sheriff of West Yorkshire and the Mayor of Calderdale.

Thank you to Birties Events in Elland for excellent hospitality.

Dewsbury Rockers MC receive Blood Bike fundraising award…

Members of the Dewsbury Rockers Motorcycle Club have become “Whiteknights Angels” in recognition of their fundraising.

The Yorkshire Blood Bike charity, Whiteknights presented the fundraising award to Paul Morley and Catherine Foster.

West Yorkshire Manager for Whiteknights, Matthew Butterfield said: “After more than a year of fundraising, we very much appreciate the donation of £500 to support our voluntary service. They really deserve the award.”

Pictured from Whiteknights are Matthew Butterfield and Laurence Turner alongside Paul and Catherine from Dewsbury Rockers Motorcycle club.

Whiteknights announce 2024 statistics…

Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes publish their total statistics for 2024 – the year in which we were the only Blood Bike charity to achieve The King’s Award For Voluntary Service.

We remain on operational duty even through the recent snow and ice conditions. Our remarkable volunteers have adapted well to this and are taking extra care. The safey of our volunteers and the  safety of the Blood Samples we transport is our priority at times like this.

It’s fair to say that this year our overall totals are slightly lower than 2023. We remain a flexible and adaptable service – there to respond to the needs of hospitals and hospices only when they have an urgent delivery requirement.

However in other areas there has been an increase. The collection and delivery of consignments of Donated Breast Milk increases from 32 to 96 deliveries in 2024. So too did the delivery of items from Pharmacy to hospices and patient’s homes – from 971 to 1104.

Having covered over 90,000 miles during 2024 – we are pleased to be able to contribute alongside other neighbouring Blood Bike charities by participating in 146 national relays. That has more than doubled from the 2023 figure of 64 relays.

We would like to thank all our friends and supporters who have financially contributed to support the work of our charity during the year. Together we believe we saved the NHS £155,736. Thank you most sincerely. We hope you appreciate just how much we are able to achieve with the limited fundraising capacity we currently have.

We would love to hear from people who would like to volunteer their time to support us – perhaps by attending fundraising opportunities. Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes remains a modest, highly committed group of volunteers, who currently number approximately 60 people across the whole of Yorkshire. 

Contact us through our Facebook Page or email: info@whiteknights.org.uk

So please, continue your encouragement and support during 2025 we really appreciate it.

Donations in 2025 can be made through our Just Giving page:

https://www.justgiving.com/whiteknightsyorkshire-bloodbikes

Thank You!

South Yorkshire Whiteknights Celebrate…

Here they are members of the South Yorkshire Team, pictured outside Laboratory Medicine at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital.

Well done to all the South Yorshire Riders for being awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Pictured holding the presentation frame is South Yorkshire Manager, Roy Clark alongside Dean Tazzyman Laboratrory Manager, Northern General Hospitalm Sheffield

Raise a glass to celebrate…

Whiteknights Advanced-Qualified Volunteer Riders raise a glass in celebration of being awarded the Kings Award For Voluntary Service.

Well done guys!

Whiteknights display their King’s Award….

Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes have been meeting today at Calderdale Royal Hospital to announce to the public our Kings Award For Voluntay Service.

Here the Chairman, Andrew Foster is joined by representatives of Pathology and the Milk Bank