The History
In 1981 a group of bikers got together
and decided to dispel the image of
biker thugs, give a bit back to the
community and form a charity to help
hospitals with the transport of blood
and blood products. The charity is
called Service by Emergency Rider
Volunteers aka SERV. The charity
covers Kent, Essex, Surrey, Sussex,
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire,
Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire,
Hertfordshire, London, Hampshire
and North Hamptonshire. It
encompasses the greatest area of all
the blood running charities which
serve other parts of the country.
The Boring Bit
The charity provides assistance to the
National Blood Transfusion Service in
delivering blood, blood products and
specimens to hospitals, blood banks
and laboratories between the hours of
7.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m. 365 days
year, 24hrs a day on Christmas and
bank holidays. Why? Because of a
lack of manpower overnight, the cost
of taxis (if one can be found) and it is
not appropriate to tie up an ambulance
or police unit from their duties. The
whole journey of the emergency
supply has an operating window of
less than 3½ hours.
The Fun Bit
As a blood runner you get to deliver
the blood, platelets or specimens on
your motorcycle.
The Important Bit
It truly saves lives, or at least eases
the suffering of another human being.
You would not be asked to run unless
it was essential.
The above is a very digested resumé
