Vital Highland blood delivery group receive over £15,000

A Highland volunteer group who deliver blood supplies across Scotland has been given over £15,000.

Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes (HIABB) deliver essential medical supplies to the likes of Elgin, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow, as well as across the north of Scotland.

Since being set-up in March, the group has covered 124,000 miles on bikes and at times used their own cars.

The charity has mainly been transporting COVID-19 samples since April with volunteers running 14-hour shifts per day, and some working six days a week.

The group hope the funds will go towards being able to find a new Inverness base for their fleet and equipment.

HAIBB President, Ross Sharp, said: “This is great news for us, just at a time when we really need it.

"I’d like to thank the Brownlie Trust and the Hugh Fraser Foundation for such fantastic donations and Helen Robertson and her team at Asda in Inverness for their work with the Asda Foundation, who have always been there supporting our Charity.

"We are a new Charity but have expanded at such a rate since our operational beginning in March last year, the Covid-19 pandemic has of course been a major influencer in our growth, in us doing our bit to help the NHS.

"The Inverness bikes have been kept at the home of one of our Trustees, and whilst we are extremely grateful, we do understand that sharing your own garage and having bikes coming and going at various hours throughout the day is not ideal.

"We now hope to use some of the money we have received to secure a premise, ideally one that can be home to the bikes and car, and have an office for our other equipment.

"Inverness is the key hub for the Charity with nearly all of the work we do revolving around the laboratory at Raigmore Hospital.

"I’d like to thank all the volunteers for giving us their free time for this very worthwhile cause. If you see our riders out doing their bit please give them a wave and give them some space, they are doing it for free, free to our NHS."

Further information including how to become a volunteer, make a donation or becoming a Sponsor can be found at www.haibloodbikes.co.uk.