It’s almost here: National Blood Bike Awareness Day Friday 16th August.

We have media events in Huddersfield, York and Sheffield throughout the day. Watch this space!

Well we did it!!

1,018.1 miles in 21hours and 30 minutes. Many thanks to everyone who supported the Whiteknights and our Iron Butt Challenge – Andy, Martin, Maurice, Micheal, Laurence and Rob.

Here they are pictured at John O’Groats.

Congratulations to the 150 participants completing the Royal British Legion 1000 Mile Iron Butt Association UK event this weekend. WKYBB would like to express our sincere thanks to the Iron Butt Association UK for their generous donation to support us.

Pictured with WKYBB West Yorkshire Manager, Andy Dickens is Graeme Dawson, and President of IBA UK, Philip Weston.

Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes have this morning been deployed to join a national relay to convey a pioneering treatment to tackle the habitual re-infection of patients suffering from the antibiotic resistant super bug, Clostridium Difficile.

In a pioneering treatment project led by Birmingham University’s School of Immunity and Infection, patients having not recovered following three-courses of antibiotics are being given Faecal Microbiota Transplants to save them from the potentially life-threatening infection.

Scientists claim a success rate in excess of 90% of patients treated, recover quickly and break the cycle of re-infection. The “good” bacteria compete against the Clostridium Difficile in the patient’s gut and returns them to health.

There are currently fewer than 5 patients in the UK with the rare super-bug fighting Gastrointestinal bacteria that is being transplanted into other patients.

This is the first time the voluntary blood bike service in this region has been called upon to deliver a liquid stool sample for the benefit of patients who are mostly elderly, post-surgery and with a chronic health condition.

 Originating at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital, a volunteer Advanced-Qualified rider from Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes received the treatment sample from the rider from Staffordshire, Shropshire & Cheshire Blood Bikes at Hartshead Moor Services; before conveying it to Scarborough General Hospital.

Chairman of Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes, Andrew Foster, said this morning: “Many people who work within the healthcare industry are all too familiar with the impact of Clostridium Difficile bacteria – ranging from diarrhoea to an alarming mortality rate amongst the elderly.

“We are delighted to continue to support Yorkshire patients and the NHS by making this important delivery, free of charge by our dedicated volunteers.”

Pictured handing over the FMT sample for the first time in Yorkshire is Frank Evans (SSCBB) and David Hardcastle (WKYBB)

This June six intrepid Advanced-Qualified Volunteer Blood Bikers will take on an Iron Butt Saddle Sore Challenge to raise funds for Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.

Using their own motorcycles the six riders from West Yorkshire will ride from Mirfield to Thurso and John o’Groats – a distance of 511 miles.
They will then ride back again to complete 1000 miles within 24 hours.

Please support the riders: Andy Dickens, Martin Garside, Maurice Greenwood, Rob Helliwell, Michael Loban, Laurence Turner.

They are taking on this formidable challenge to raise funds for the on-going charitable work of Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.

Please give generously and watch out for updates on the riders progress during the weekend of the 22/23 june 2019.

Here’s a video with further information about the Whiteknights Volunteers taking on the Iron Butt Challenge to ride 1000 miles in 24hrs in June this year.

Please donate to support them at our special event Just Giving page.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundrai…/whiteknightsironbutt2019

Here Robert Clague from Eco Touch UK demonstrates Eco Touch Waterless Motorcycle Wash, Eco Touch All Purpose and Eco Touch Window Clear products.

Whiteknights Volunteer Advanced-Qualified Riders recently received these products to try out for themselves.

Our thanks to Eco Touch UK for supporting Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.

Breaking News… from Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.
Following a busy period for Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes over the festive period, we go into the first week of January with an urgent national relay with other Blood Bikes groups to transfer Pathology items from Edinburgh to St James’ Hospital Leeds.

Pictured from just moments ago whilst on the relay section from Scotch Corner to Leeds is Whiteknights Advanced – Qualified Volunteer Rider, Maurice Greenwood. Today marks the end of Maurice’s first week on duty for Whiteknights.

Speaking tonight Maurice said, “I’ve been on standby over the New-Year period from the 30th and its been very busy. I’ve received multiple call-outs and found it both challenging and exhilarating. It’s been very different from the type of volunteering I’ve done in the past – I’ve loved every minute and can highly recommend volunteering for Blood Bikes. I look forward to my next time on duty.”