Cheque boost for Yeovil Freewheelers

THE Yeovil Freewheelers have received a cheque for £4,103.10 - thanks to the fundraising efforts of staff at Yarlington Housing Group.

Each year staff at Yarlington Housing Group nominate, and then vote for, a charity to become the ‘Staff Charity of the Year’.

In 2012, The Yeovil Freewheelers Emergency Volunteer Service won the vote. Throughout the year employees and tenants at Yarlington got involved in dress down days, cakes sales, raffles and sponsored runs in a bid to raise as much money as possible.

The Yeovil Freewheelers were established 34 years ago and operate in South Somerset. They currently have 30 riders, all unpaid volunteers, who use motorcycles, known as ‘blood bikes’, to provide a free, out-of-hours, unique courier service to carry urgently needed medical items such as biological and blood samples, medical notes, scans and medicines between hospitals, patients in their homes and health institutions.

PHOTO: Blood bike rider Lindsay Wilson (back) with, centre from left, Yeovil Freewheelers Club secretary Sue Dyer, blood bike rider Tony Haywood, Yarlington Housing Group executive director of growth and investment Barbara Richardson and Chris Pistell, PA to directors at Yarlington; and, front, is Paul Dyer.

YeovilDistrictHospital rely on the Freewheelers, who respond quickly when blood or other medical items need to be transported urgently because a patient's life is at risk. The bikes move with ease through busy traffic ensuring the safe and efficient transport of precious cargo to save lives.

It costs the charity around £30,000 a year to run their three blood bikes and they receive no funding. In 2012, The Yeovil Freewheelers made 1,014 deliveries – the furthest being to Liverpool, travelling on average 600 miles per week. It is estimated that the charity saves YeovilDistrictHospital a minimum of £70,000 per year – the predicted cost if taxis had to be used or the hospital provided its own service.

Sue Dyer, secretary for The Yeovil Freewheelers, said: “What a wonderful amount raised by Yarlington and everyone concerned. All our members are really grateful for all the hard work involved and this will certainly help to keep our bikes on the road.”

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