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.
Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes have just completed their first operational relay run in our new electric vehicle. Thanks to Sandal BMW, the battery-powered BMW i3 completed a zero-emission relay of Microbiology Samples from Scotch Corner on the A1 into Leeds city centre to Leeds General Infirmary.
Pictured presenting the keys to WKYBB Fleet Manager, John Mitchell, is Head of Business at Sandal Huddersfield, Richard Avery. Watch this space for future updates about our eco-friendly vehicle.
Speaking at the key hand-over , Fleet Manager, John Mitchell said: “Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes are very grateful for the generosity of Sandal BMW in providing the Charity with the use of this electric vehicle.
“The BMW i3 will be an invaluable addition to our fleet of motorbikes and will be used both when winter can introduce more risk in use of the bikes, and in the Spring and Summer months will be used additionally at fundraising and promotional events to help raise awareness of the work that Whiteknights do.”
In a short dedication ceremony held at Roddisons Motorsport headquarters in Sheffield, PC Dave Field’s widow, Emma, his brother, PC Richard Fields, Rose Gibson and Kevin Harper of Simpson Millar and Paul Roddison presented Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bike Advanced-Qualified Volunteer Riders, Paranjit, Dennis, Steve and Roy with the Blood Samples Carrier Box and Keys to commission into service the Dave Fields Blood Bike.
Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes are delighted to launch “Ivanhoe” – a BMW R1200RTP to the Whiteknights Fleet.
At a launch event at Tapton Hall in Sheffield, the Trustees of Ivanhoe Lodge formally handed over the keys and released, “Ivanhoe,” into South Yorkshire operational Blood Bike service. It forms part of a total donation totalling £30,000 to run and maintain the machine for the next three years.
Our sincere thanks to the Trustees of Ivanhoe Lodge for supporting Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes in this way.
Pictured: Left to Right:
Roy Clark (WKYBB South Yorkshire Dep. Manager), Keith Hewitt, Michael Nelson, John Clague, Gavin Watson, Andrew Foster (WKYBB Chairman) Andy Dickens (WKYBB West Yorkshire Manager)
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.”
Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes are delighted to announce receiving a donation from the charitable foundation of the employer of one of our advanced-qualified volunteer riders.
Peter Lenthall successfully achieved a funding award from his employer Enterprise Rent-A-Car and their charity – Enterprise Holdings Foundation.
Speaking at a recent cheque presentation at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital, South Yorkshire Regional Manager for Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes, Debbie Fulton said: “Christmas has certainly come early for Whiteknights this year! We have received a tremendous grant of one thousand pounds from Enterprise.
“This comes at exactly the right time for us as the winter season is especially busy for us as our volunteer riders transfer urgent medical blood samples for testing during the night and at weekends.”
“As we go into the New Year we are also now recruiting volunteers again.
Any motorcyclists who would like to find out more about the voluntary service we provide to the hospitals in Sheffield can visit our website atwww.whiteknights.org.uk. We would very much like to hear from you.”
Pictured outside the Laboratory Medicine department at Northern General Hospital are the South Yorkshire volunteer riders of Whiteknights Yorkshire Blood Bikes.
Our sincere thanks go to the guys at Graham’s Motorcycles Bradford. “Lottie” a BMW F800GT, recently experienced battery failure – a new one was rapidly installed and within 2 hours here is the machine pictured outside Leeds Seacroft BTS having made an urgent delivery and was back in action. Whiteknights say a massive “Thank you!” to all our supporters and sponsors. — with Grahams Motorcycles.