Blood Bikes need help to bring Christmas magic to children in hospital
Warwickshire and Solihull Blood Bikes are appealing to the public to help raise money to buy presents for children hospitalised over the Christmas period.
Blood Bikes is a registered charity that transports urgent samples of blood, Covid-19, human tissue and urgent medical supplies through their volunteers across Warwickshire’s network of hospitals. Around 80 volunteers including riders and drivers offer this service free of charge to the NHS providing a weekday out of hours service and 24/7 weekend and bank holiday cover.
Traditionally the team of volunteers have raised funds to buy toys and presents for children aged up to 18. This year due to the pandemic they have been restricted with fund-raising and only this week been given permission to allow them to drop the presents at University Hospitals Coventry Warwickshire Walsgrave on Saturday, 19th December at 12:30pm.
The 50 volunteers on their bikes are not permitted to enter the hospital, however with the efforts of Warwickshire Police, the hospital and committee members, they are able to drop the presents at the main entrance of the hospital.
Blood Bikes is therefore asking for help in raising money to purchase the toys or for the public to donate toys which need to be brand new and unused due to Covid-19 restrictions. The Toy Run, which has been running for the last eight years, has seen the group raise thousands of pounds for children over the years.
Phil Evans, a Trustee and one of the volunteers said: “Christmas is such a special time especially for children, but for some their Christmases are spent on a hospital ward. By donating toys or money and enabling our volunteers to deliver presents we hope to give these children a brighter Christmas and put a smile on their faces.”
Anyone wishing to donate toys can email Phil Evans at events@wsbb.org who will arrange collection. Alternatively, those that wish to donate money to be spent on presents can visit https://www.wsbb.org/ and click on donate.
