Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions answered that we are frequently asked about Dumfries & Galloway Blood Bikes…

If there are any questions unanswered in this section contact us here, we would be pleased to help.

Who are Dumfries & Galloway Blood Bikes?

Dumfries & Galloway Blood Bikes is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) SC045453 that transport urgent blood samples, medication, urgent blood, medical notes and other urgently required medical items for the patients of our NHS in Dumfries and Galloway.

Dumfries & Galloway Blood Bikes is part of NABB the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes.

We operate 365 days a year 24 hours a day. We are the only free Blood Bikes group to provide 24 hour service in Scotland and one of only two or three groups within the UK.

Why do Dumfries & Galloway Blood Bikes use motorbikes rather than cars?
Motorbikes have advantages when it comes to transporting time sensitive items such as blood and plasma. It’s far easier for us to progress through traffic for example, so journey times are far more predictable and generally quicker than cars. However, motorcycles cannot currently carry blood when the temperature is below 3 degrees Celsius, so a blood car will be used. If you are interested in being a driver you can find out more here.

 

We have a fleet of 14 bikes and 8 cars for volunteers to use.
What sort of motorbikes do you use?

We currently operate a fleet consisting of Yamaha FJR 1300’s and BMW F800 GT-P’s. These are tourer type motorcycles designed to be ridden for extended periods and distances, that offer some protection from the worst of the weather and which have reasonable luggage capacity.

Our bikes have full high visibility liveried markings in order to ensure they can be easily identified as ‘Blood Bikes’ and to help our riders and their precious cargo be seen, and kept safe.

What sort of cars do you use?
We operate four Skoda Scout 4x4s, two Skoda Octavia 4×4’s, an automatic Hyundai i40 car and a Hyundai Santa Fe Automatic 4×4. All vehicles are fully liveried.
How do you transport products etc?

All products are packed in NHS packaging and these are then secured in the panniers or to an approved rack on the rear of the bike. The packaging is designed to maintain the temperature of the load during transportation. When the temperature is too cold, or if it is whole blood a blood car will be used. It is up to the rider if they wish to use a car in adverse weather. If the temperature is below 3 degrees a car is to be used.

What areas do Dumfries & Galloway Blood Bikes cover?

Between the hospitals within Dumfries and Galloway with daily runs going to Glasgow Monday to Friday and occasionally to Edinburgh. Riders in the west of the region would travel mostly between Stranraer and Skyreburn to hand over to a Dumfries volunteer when possible.

Are there any qualifications required to be a rider/driver volunteer?
Volunteers need to have held a full licence for 1 year and hold a recognised advanced driving qualification (such as IAM RoadSmart, RoSPA, DART BMF, Police, Ambulance, Fire or one of our listed qualifications). If you want to ride or drive for us but don’t yet have a suitable qualification, please get in touch as we can give assistance to help you achieve this with training and financial help.
All riders and drivers are given training prior to going out on jobs using a liveried vehicle.
Do volunteers have to pay a membership fee?

No, but we do ask for a donation towards Airvests and helmet with comms. Safety is of the highest priority. Please contact us to discuss as it’s not mandatory. 

Do the volunteers receive any remuneration or reimbursements?

No, all of our volunteers, including the committee give their time for free.

Are the rider/drivers required to have special training?

Yes, our riders / drivers receive training on the safe handling of all the items we carry and the procedures required. Riders / drivers undergo route training so they are familiar with the routes to and from our destinations.

Riders and drivers are required to provide a copy of their current UK driving / riding Licence. Additional checks of your riding/driving licence will be undertaken on an annual basis.

We are unable to take volunteers with more than 6 penalty points on their licence or with convictions for Dangerous driving or Drink Driving.

Is there a uniform?

Riders must have their own protective motorcycle clothing such as boots, trousers, jacket, gloves etc and are expected to use their own helmet (white is preferred). A plain coloured helmet with no markings (stickers or decals) is acceptable.

We ask that drivers/riders and Fundraisers wear Dumfries and Galloway Blood Bikes logoed clothing or Hi-Vis jacket when representing the group. Please note that shorts are NOT permitted. For operational drivers, we ask that you wear your issued polo or high viz jacket.

How much time would I need to give?

For riders, drivers and shift controllers, we are looking for people who can volunteer for a shift a month. Controllers, Riders and Drivers are welcome to cover more shifts if they are able to. You can just do a morning run to Glasgow, which goes every day at 9am, getting home by about 1pm.

For those volunteering to help out with fundraising we are happy to take whatever time you can give, even if it is just a couple of hours at an event in your area (such as a supermarket collection) every couple of months.

Are there other ways people can volunteer to help, apart from being a shift controller, rider or driver?

We have people who help us with fundraising and publicity activities etc. Fundraising is a really important part of what we do as without the funds we wouldn’t be able to keep running. If you have a talent, hobby or skill you think could be of benefit to us, or can spare a few hours a month to help us fundraise please let us know.

Is there an age limit?

Yes, there is a minimum age limit of 18 years old for Shift Controllers.

For riders/drivers the minimum age requirement is 25 years old. This is due to the requirements on our insurance policy.

As for fundraisers, we do have some little helpers around, so there is no age limit for fundraisers as long as supervised by a parent member.

Why do you do it?
Everyone has their different reasons, but volunteers will generally be strong supporters of the NHS. They may have a particular reason to be grateful to the NHS or feel that as motorcyclists they’d like to do something to help, just in case they themselves need help sometime in the future.

 

We know what we do ‘makes a difference’. It can help save lives and also saves our hospitals substantial sums of money, which can then be used to directly benefit patients. The opportunity to achieve this, by doing what we love – riding motorcycles, is a compelling mixture for our volunteers.
Who are the volunteers?

It’s a wide variety and cross section of people from all walks of life. Everyday people, like you.

How far will you travel on a call out?

Most of our journeys tend to be between our area locations and up to Glasgow, so typically anything averaging between 80 and 200 miles. However, we can and do go further if necessary. Where we need to transfer items across the country, for example to deliver samples to London or Manchester for analysis, we generally liaise with blood bike groups in other areas to quickly relay our cargo to where it’s needed.

How can I help?

We provide our services to the hospitals for free, so we rely 100% on donations from the public, from charitable groups and on company sponsorship to fund our work. Financial donations and sponsorship are therefore always very welcome. We are also grateful to companies who can donate or heavily discount the products or services we need to operate.

If you would like to make a donation please see our support page.

If you would like to find out more about our company sponsorship packages please contact us via info@dgbloodbikes.org.uk

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering or want to become a member please contact us via info@dgbloodbikes.org.uk or click here.

Do you do public presentations?

Yes, we do. If you would like somebody to come and explain more about Dumfries & Galloway Blood Bikes and what we do (and how and why we do it) – we are always pleased to provide speakers for your club, group or event.

Please do get in touch to find out more.