Norfolk/Suffolk Bloodbikes - fancy helping out?

mr badger

mr badger

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There are currently plans to set up Blood Bike groups in both Norfolk and Suffolk.

Info about Blood Bikes here.

The good motive - you get to help out the NHS and provide a valuable service for the community.

The slightly hooky motive - you get to run around on a liveried bike and, if you qualify, get to run blues and twos.

If you are interested in helping in any way, riding, fundraising or co-ordinating then contact:

Norfolk - Darryl Lawton at [email protected]
Suffolk - [email protected]

Early stages yet for Norfolk. I'll update as things get more sorted.
 
Sounds worthwhile and interesting. Is there one for us daan saaf in Essix? :pullface
 
Looks like I need to do my IAM. Well, it is as good a reason as any to have a go at it I suppose. :thumb
 
I'm not from round these parts but thought I'd pop in and say it's good to see another group forming. I've just volunteered for my nearest group (South London / Surrey / Kent) :thumb2
 
Monty said:
Sounds worthwhile and interesting. Is there one for us daan saaf in Essix? :pullface
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yes there is http://www.serv.org.uk/essex/welcome-to-serv-essex.html
there was a request for volunteers on essex bikers http://www.essexbikers.co.uk/forum/...oking-for-more-members-please-can-anyone-help quite an amusing thread because a couple of people got upset about the the claim that they deliver emergency deliveries and have blue lights. read the thread and you will see what is said :blast
 
Way to go, Tim! I'd already contacted Darryl after hearing from NAM. Of course it's got absolutely nothing to do with the prospect of riding an emergence vehicle and watching traffic part before me like the Red Sea! :augie
 
Having read the Essex group web site, you provide your own bike and insurance and fuel. No mention of being given a liveried bike, blue lights etc. Still sounds worthy, though.
 
A mate rides for one of the Southern Counties SERV teams and uses a liveried bike but he has been doing it for many years ............ riding a liveried bike and having blue lights does not however exempt you from normal speed limits and red lights etc ;)

It does help you get through heavy traffic and thats the only reason for them being fitted to SERV bike.

Exemptions the offences under the Road Traffic Act apply only to vehicles used for the purposes of Fire, Police and Ambulance so any ideas of legal, ton plus blatting along singing Bonnie Tylers "Hero" in the helmet are just that ..... ideas :)
 
Bigyin said:
A mate rides for one of the Southern Counties SERV teams and uses a liveried bike but he has been doing it for many years ............ riding a liveried bike and having blue lights does not however exempt you from normal speed limits and red lights etc ;)

It does help you get through heavy traffic and thats the only reason for them being fitted to SERV bikes
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Hi dude,

I guess they all run differently. I saw a piece on the Emergency Bikers programme recently that showed a liveried bike, but the Essex site says...

"All we ask is for you to meet the following requirements:-

1) Held a Full Driving Licence for the category of vehicle you intend to use for a minimum of 1 year
2) A Reliable, Roadworthy vehicle
3) A clean driving licence with max 3 points
4) Insurance cover for SERV duties (this is normally provided free by insurers. Please contact us for further info)"

Hopefully we can get some feedback when the guys on here get their applications in and do a few stints. :thumb

Cheers,

Matt
 
Monty said:
Hi dude,

I guess they all run differently. I saw a piece on the Emergency Bikers programme recently that showed a liveried bike, but the Essex site says...

"All we ask is for you to meet the following requirements:-

1) Held a Full Driving Licence for the category of vehicle you intend to use for a minimum of 1 year
2) A Reliable, Roadworthy vehicle
3) A clean driving licence with max 3 points
4) Insurance cover for SERV duties (this is normally provided free by insurers. Please contact us for further info)"

Hopefully we can get some feedback when the guys on here get their applications in and do a few stints. :thumb

Cheers,

Matt
Click to expand...

I realise most people who do it are using their own bikes and its only the really established groups that have a liveried bike or 2 .......... just about everyone else does as you say above........ own bike, fuel, insurance etc

these ones though belong to Sussex SERV ;)

759964060_kkYXm-M.jpg


Below is a direct lift from a post my mate who has been doing it for a while used to summarise it ..... hope it helps

The lot I was/am involved with operate in the SW, have police spec bikes with blue lights and sirens, are fully marked up according to home office regulations to be 'blood service' bikes and are ridden by volunteers.

They are allowed to use the blue lights and sirens when specifically requested by a doctor or whatever (hardly ever), and when doing so they have a few very small exemptions from aspects of the road traffic act. They aren't allowed to speed however. I haven't looked into the detail, I assume that it's not just an agreement with the local plod.

As for the training that the riders undergo, they're all volunteers, and have to have an appropriate 'advanced' ticket - RoSPA/IAM/Class 1*/similar. They also have to undergo a 'test ride' to see how they react to traffic when on a marked bike. I'm not sure how that is supposed to work as you don't ride the marked up bike when on the test ride, but hey ho...

In my opinion, it's a good craic, if you're a reasonably confident rider and could pass an advanced test, then why not give it a go? I quite like my own company and am happy to ride in shitty weather conditions and late at night, so I loved it. And it's an eye opener to see how people react to the presence of a marked up bike. With the bunch I was/am involved with, the bikes are maintained by the organisation and everything from fuel to tyres is covered.
 
First meet tonight and had about 25 turn out.

We're oing to need more folk, so if you fancy getting involved, get in touch with Darryl (seee first post) or me.

Looks like we're going in with SERV to run a local group and set up with 2 liveried bikes.

Let the fundraising begin.
 
argee said:
I didn't know anything about the meeting at all, did I miss the memo....?:confused:
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Hi mate Did you contact Darryl? He sent out an e-mail a couple of weeks ago. I can fill you in if you want. I reckon you would be invaluable with your work background. The Suffolk group might be nearer for you.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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