May 2018 Newsletter

NORTHUMBRIA BLOOD BIKES

May 2018 - Please feel free to print, copy, save or forward this newsletter to increase awareness of our charity!

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

This Easter we were treated to having two eggcellent Blood Bike eggs made for school.

Cracking work from both children for their Blue Peter badge worthy creations.

We were kindly invited to attend the Durham Easter Egg run again this year.

Volunteers were on hand to chat to the 500+ bikers that took part and one rather Providing effective timely transportation of essential blood and medical products short blonde volunteer runand around handing out 360 Challenge leaflets (thanks Doreen Registered Charity Number 1166689 even if we did loose you a couple of times).

Paul Paterson and John Watts attended the AGM of Durham Knights Templar.

They were presented £200 from the Provincial Priory of Durham and £150 from Durham Egg Run. Photograph L-R: Paul Paterson, Richard Scott (Provincial Prior of Durham), Tony Hudspith (Lead organizer of Durham Egg Run) and John Watts.

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Another brilliant Easter weekend with our friends at Bebside Inn - £1040.66 raised

We had an extremely beautiful day at Durham City Uniform Services day. Lots of sun cream was required as where a few ice creams. The team had some willing helpers when they were packing up. Thank you to the kind gentlemen that lent a helping hand.

Good work Jason Cooper, Sam Quigley & Steven Laws for collecting ÂŁ118.40 and thank you for the donations.

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Our third annual 360 Challenge took place on the most glorious day with the weather completely on our side for another successful day. With around 120 participants completing the ‘treasure hunt’ around our operational area in the North East. We took the chance to showcase our new car for the first time since its purchase (more details of our new vehicle later in the newsletter).

While sponsorship[ totals still coming in we can’t announce how much was raised just yet but hopefully we will be able to let you know in the next newsletter addition.

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Thank you to everyone who took part, we hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did, and a huge well done to John, Alison and Stan for the organising of another superb year of the challenge.

Photographs of participants upon finishing the challenge and receiving their badge can be found on the Northumbria Blood Bikes Flickr account.

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

A short time ago in a galaxy not so far, far away...

EPISODE I A NEW VEHICLE Skoda Durham have assisted with the purchase of the brand new vehicle to the Northumbria Blood Bike fleet Upon calling for support from the public daring volunteers had new hope for the winter months After a successful bid to the Aviva Community Fund they donated ÂŁ25K which enabled the purchase of an Octavia Scout With the vehicle ready for operational service today it will be dispatched in its first mission Saving money, saving lives...

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

#maythefourthbewithyou

Hexham Homebase fundraising weekend raised ÂŁ419.99

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Benidorm or Bust

As some people will know Steven Laws, his son and his brother have entered a charity car rally driving from the northeast to Benidorm in 4 days taking on fun challenges on the way only driving a car worth under ÂŁ500.

They leave on June 12th and hopefully arrive in Benidorm on the morning of the 16th June, they will be doing this in aid of Northumbria Blood Bikes and every single penny raised will go to our charity, his work have also offered to double what they raise.

Continued on the next page‌

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Benidorm or Bust

Continued from the previous page‌ They are hoping to hit £2000 so if anyone would be kind enough to sponsor us please click on the link: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/samlaws1 Or you can message him with your pledge and he will catch up with you after the event, look out for updates on Facebook as to how they get on.

Many thank to ITPS who have sponsored them and to MKN have also made a donation.

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Some of our recent talkS‌

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Some of our recent talkS‌

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Thank you to volunteers Sal, Carla and Gary (yes you have seen this cat before) for attending the Community Ambulance Service Day.

If you shop at either Asda Benton or Asda Washington we are currently on their green token scheme in both stores so please pop your token in to Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products support If you don’t receive Registeredus.

Charity Number 1166689 one just ask!

Would you like to join our team of dedicated volunteers?

We are currently looking for people to fill a few of our volunteer roles:

Shift controller - you will work from home answering calls from hospitals and passing them on to our riders and drivers. You will keep track of the riders, making sure they have reached their destination and made it back to base safely. Calls are automatically diverted to your number when you are on shift.

Volunteer riders - using our liveried bike you will collect and deliver blood or other important medical supplies to and from hospitals. You will need to have (or obtain) an advanced riding qualification. However, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved while you get trained up.

Volunteer drivers - using our liveried car, you perform the same role as the rider, but when the weather is below a certain temperature or it is unsafe to ride, the car is used. The same requirement exists to have an advanced driving qualification, and the car will be used for attending fundraising or publicity events, potentially towing an exhibition trailer.

To find out more or to sign up as a volunteer please visit: www.northumbriabloodbikes.org.uk/support/volunteer

Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

Updates from the Committee: Geoff Spencer (Training Officer) New riders since the last newsletter – Dave Bell, Ian Perks and Keith Arkle New Drivers since the last newsletter – Dave Bell, Paul Curran and Neil Potts Annual assessment rides – Jeff Glen, Andy Watson, Paul Simmons, Dave Makepeace, Nick Burton, Graeme Mitchell, Neil Potts, Jim Ludford, Stuart Tate and Gordon Jenkins Annual Assessment drives – Mike Thompson, Chris Roderick, Jeff Glen, Paul Simmons, Alan Bragg, Debbie Paton, Wilf Moralee, Derek Henderson, Dave Makepeace and Bill Deacon There will be a trailer assessment day on Sunday 10th June 11am until 3pm.

Drivers who would like to attend please notify Alan Johnson, one of the many AJs we have but this particular on is the pirate, by text or email. His contact details can be found on contact list. Check your driving license has b+e to tow trailers.

Rob Wilks (Membership Secretary) We had 19 new members join us last month who have volunteered for the following areas: 3 fundraising, 9 as riders, 12 drivers and 6 controllers.

Hermod Mayoral Way at Team Valley are offering discount to NBB volunteers on clothing, boots, helmets ect

Alan Johnson (Fleet Manager) Our new bike, purchased thanks to the Masonic Charity Foundation, named Durham Mason will be coming into operational use next month.

Providing effective andcar timely of essential medical products We have welcomed our new totransportation the fleet thanks toblood theand Aviva Community Fund.

Registered Charity Number 1166689 Our new automatic Škoda Octavia Scout.

Steve Rawlings (Rota Manager) Look out for the changes to the Hexham shift coming on Tuesday 29th May.

Mike Thompson (Chair) Almost a year ago, to the day, I returned home from a bank holiday break and opened the letter giving us advance notice that we'd won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

The Queen's Award was (is) a great achievement for a young charity like ours and I think it reflects the importance of the work we do and the professionalism and dedication with which you all do it. I hope you all take pride in the award and in NBB. I know I do.

The letter sparked a flurry of activity preparing for the award, activity which included a group photo shoot to be used in our publicity material. We'd like renew the group photos, to make sure they remain current, so please support this year's photo shoot if you can.

We're trying something new by moving the June Open Meeting to a Saturday afternoon and combining the photo shoot with it. It all happens on 30th June at the Lancastrian Suite in Dunston so watch out for further announcements about the day, which will include a group ride out/in as well as the meeting and photos. I hope you can make it on the day.

Brian Slassor (Secretary) The next Open Meeting will be held at the Lancastrian Suite in Dunston Saturday 30th June at 2pm. Gary Annan is organizing a ride to the meeting at 10.30am from the garage in Burnhope. There will be a photo shoot at the Open Meeting so please bring your uniforms.

Sean Storey (Hospital Liaison) Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products We completed 1281 jobsRegistered in AprilCharity whichNumber is a new record!

1166689 rd The next hospital famlisasation is Saturday 23 June

Kirsty Lawrence (Publicity Officer)

11 talks are being held in May and 3 are planned for June.

I am still looking for a Newsletter Editor to take over producing each edition of this newsletter. If you are interested in the role please email publicity@northumbriabloodbikes.org.uk Graham Moor (Fundraising Officer and Interim-Treasurer) From a fundraising perspective: 360 Challenge very successful (and the weather too) New events season and lots planned Chris and Lorna doing well in managing events Refreshing events kit, including the delivery of 4 donated mini-motos which are being branded and made event ready Looking to start up an event induction for members who wish to be involved in events Events at Tesco Newcastle and Homebase Hexham provided healthy collections From a Treasury perspective: Banking Assistants are getting embedded in the group The mailbox shows a healthy activity with talks to groups Healthy income this month include sponsorship from the 360 challenge, store collections and a couple of larger individual donations We continue to seek to increase our income from regular monthly donations and corporate sponsorship Alan Kinghorn (ICT Officer) Look out for changes to OLRS coming soon

Ronnie Paton (Vice Chair) Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products Registered Charity Number 1166689

FUTURE EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY: Lots of things happening, and we need your help to support them! If you can help, even if only for a couple of hours, please contact us….information is at the bottom of this page. NBB members can register their attendance for most of these events on our website (login required).

May Saturday

19th May Saturday

19th May Monday

28th

Induction Meeting 09:00 to 12:00 (Please see events calendar for details) Introduction to NBB for new members Anybody who has not yet joined NBB and would like to find out more about the charity is welcome to come along. Please let us know you are coming by sending us a message using our contact form with the category "Membership" Shift Controller Workshop 13:00 to 16:00 (Please see events calendar for details) These workshops are for new Shift Controllers to ‘learn the ropes’ or for returning Controllers to refresh their skills. Please let us know you are coming by sending us a message using our contact form with the category "Membership" Northumberland County Show 09:00 to 18:00 (Please see events calendar for details) Bywell Hall, Near Stocksfield, NE43 7AB. Free parking.

Tickets available online www.northcountyshow.co.uk

May Monday

28

th

Best Western Derwent Manor Hotel Family Fun Day 11:00 to 16:00 Volunteers still required plus a car and trailer driver needed

June Saturday

2nd June

Sunday

3rd June

Saturday

16th

Marks and Spencer Arnison Centre Durham 08:00 to 17:00 Door collection

MAG Durham Bike Show 09:00 to 17:00 (Please see event calendar for details) The North East region of the Motorcycle Action Group, in conjunction with Durham City Markets, is organising the first Durham City Custom & Classic bike show for Sunday 03/06/2018, between 11.00 am and 4.00 pm in Durham City Centre.

Volunteers still required including rider Induction Meeting 09:00 to 12:00 (Please see events calendar for details) Introduction to NBB for new members Anybody who has not yet joined NBB and would like to find out more about the charity is welcome to come along. Please let us know you are coming by sending us a message using our contact form with the category "Membership"

June Saturday

30

th

June Open Meeting 14:00 to approximately 17:00 (including members annual photo shoot) Lancastrian Suite in Dunston (Please wear uniform for the annual photo shoot)

FUNDRAISING HOTLINE: www.northumbriabloodbikes.org.uk

0191 364 3113

- for any opportunities to increase our funding through sponsorship, locations for twitter.com/northumbriabb Providing effective and timely transportation of essential blood and medical products collecting tins, supermarket Registered Charity Number 1166689 linkedin.com/company/2866951 events etc… facebook.com/northumbriabloodbikes