Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes have this weekend agreed to continue to support a pioneering “Drive-through Phlebotomy Service” with their day-time volunteer motorcyclists in Sheffield.

In response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust opened a “drive-through” facility at the DSA Arena in Sheffield to support patients by taking routine blood test specimens from within their cars.

Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes Advanced-Qualified riders then transport the blood samples to Laboratory Medicine at the Northern General Hospital.

Whiteknights South Yorkshire Regional Manager, Roy Clark said: “In addition to our Out-of-hours overnight service, our volunteer riders have really enjoyed responding to the need to support patients in Sheffield in this way. The new Phlebotomy facility was launched very quickly after lock-down began in March and we were delighted to be able to assist the Trust by transporting the blood samples by Blood Bike and without cost to the NHS. Almost every day over 300 patients attend the site and we are called upon to make several trips a day to convey the specimens to the hospital. We can announce we will continue to do this until September.”

Richard Wardle, of STH NHS Foundation Trust has thanked Whiteknights: “Your help has been invaluable and our service would not have been the success without your volunteers on the team. We have had numerous positive comments from clinicians about rapid turnaround times for test results – and this is greatly down to your riders getting the samples to the labs rapidly and safely.

“At present more than 1500 patients a week are using the Drive-Through at the Arena which has been instrumental in keeping patients safe and away from hospital facilities reducing the risk of being exposed to COVID-19. Thank you for your continued help Whiteknights.”

Pictured at the temporary test site are Whiteknights Volunteers, Tony Carter and South Yorkshire Regional Manager. Roy Clark.

Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes would like to thank BP Fuels for extending their provision of fuel to Emergency Service vehicles for another month.

Whiteknights have responded to the Coronavirus Pandemic by extending our operational hours to provide a 24/7 Service.
We have been busy responding to requests by Hospital Pharmacies for deliveries to patients, transferring urgent medial records and have been collecting over 300 Blood Samples daily from temporary Phlebotomy Testing sites to support routine blood testing for patients.

Pictured in the image are the handovers between our riders as we have also participated in national relays. Thank you to BP for providing the fuel to support this vital national service.

Since the country went into lock down on 23rd March 2020, Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes have responded to over 200 call-outs to urgently transfer Blood and Pathology samples between Hospitals in Yorkshire.
In response to the Coronavirus Pandemic we have now become a 24/7 day-time and night-time service to meet the evolving logistical needs of Hospitals in the region as they modify their clinical services to combat the virus.
For the benefit of the independent Hospice network we have been collecting and delivering essential medications and controlled drugs to the homes of Shielded Palliative Care Patients.
We were delighted to receive this message from Macmillan Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nina Blake-James – Seen here in PPE alongside Dave.
“Please can you pass on my thanks to David Dickinson (Whiteknights North Yorkshire) for his help delivering essential medication to a palliative patient at home for the Hospice At Home Team. He was so patient and kind as he had to wait for me to get the prescription to the hospital pharmacy first after some confusion about where the prescription was.
“We are under a lot of pressure currently and have been advised that we as Registered Nurses are not insured to carry patient medications.
“This family had no form of transport to collect the prescription. Your service enabled the patient to get his essential medications required to relieve his symptoms. David is an incredible chap and deserves recognition along with your charity for a “gold standard” service. Thank you to Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.”

If you would like to financially support our service please donate through the following link:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/donation-web/charity?charityId=1001088&stop_mobi=yes

Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes have received a potentially life-saving addition to the personal protection equipment of their volunteer riders.

Each Blood Bike motorcycle in the Whiteknights fleet now comes with a safety airbag vest that inflates in milliseconds should the rider be involved in a collision.

The manufacturers claim the airbag vest has already been proven to greatly reduce the likelihood of serious injury. The inflated vest expands to protect the neck, shoulders, spine and chest.

At a recent presentation of the airbag vests, Whiteknights Chairman, Andrew Foster, said: “We hugely appreciate the donation of £5000 through Kirklees Lodge 4710, from the West Riding Masonic Charities to provide these airbag vests.

“They are a significant step forward in the protection equipment worn by our volunteer motorcycle riders who urgently transfer Blood Samples and vital supplies between hospitals free of charge.”

In South Yorkshire, the vests were presented to South Yorkshire Regional Managers Chris Taylor and Roy Clark by Russell Pettet and Steven Broadbent of Kirklees Masonic Lodge, at the Northern General Hospital.

The Riders of the Lands End to John O’Groats cycle-athon at Applegreen Services, Darrington have completed their challenge today. Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved at Applegreen for raising an incredible £3500!!

This is a wonderful result and we are extremely grateful to receive this funding during our busy winter season.

Pictured is Site Manager Megan Major with the Applegreen Senior Operations Team. Nadine, Megan, Neil, Mark, Lucy, Alex, Matthew, Mandy and Joe.

Today during Storm Ciara Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes has responded to 11 call-outs across Yorkshire.

We are particularly grateful to Sandal BMW Huddersfield, for supplying our new electric vehicle Sparks2. Having this vehicle has been of immense benefit to our volunteers to maintain our operational service to Hospitals and Hospices in the region during such extreme adverse weather conditions.

Pictured is General Sales Manager, James Whitefield of Sandal BMW presenting the keys to Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes Fleet Manager, Maurice Greenwood.

Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes have this week received a major financial boost to support the charity over their forthcoming busy winter season.

Girder Fork Classic Motorcycle club have donated £1500 raised through their annual ‘Big Bike Sunday’ Classic motorcycle event held at Skipton Auction Mart.

Pictured receiving the donation are Whiteknights Fleet Manager, Steve Annakin, Blake Hemmingway from GFMCC, Whiteknights West Yorkshire Manager, Andy Dickens, and Whiteknights North Yorkshire Manager, Paranjit Bharaj.

Whiteknights volunteer, Advanced-Qualified riders transport urgent blood samples for testing between hospitals overnight and at weekends right across the Yorkshire region.

This weekend we are delighted to announce that Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes South Yorkshire region has two new recruits on Operational Duty. Advanced-Qualified Volunteer Riders Adam, (left) and Ian, (right) are pictured. This is a result of our “One Rider” Facebook Campaign from earlier this year. Well done for completing the training and welcome to the Whiteknights team!
If you think you have what it takes to be a Blood Biker in Yorkshire then contact us through our Facebook Page or email info@whiteknights.org.uk .

Our thanks to Kay and Eunice for successfully completing a 12-hour endurance row-athon event to raise funds for Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.

The two ladies rotated in half-hour rowing sessions from 9am to 9pm.

In this video clip Eunice speaks at the half-way stage of their efforts.