The Magazine
The Magazine is published monthly and covers St Tudy, Michaelstow and St Mabyn.
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ST TUDY WI 8
At our March meeting we welcomed Andy Vosper with his Blood Bike to our meeting. He had always had bikes from his early life and when he retired, he volunteered to be a Blood Bike rider. Before 2020 taxis used to undertake what the BB now do but at the expense of the NHS - now the Blood Bikes are purely voluntary and depend on donations, costing about £96,000 per year. There are about 90 members throughout Cornwall - riders and co-ordinating staff who have the difficult task of ensuring all areas are covered at all times. Three riders per area ie west and east of Truro and Liskeard to Saltash.
At first, they were called upon 90,000 times a year, in 2025 239,000 and up to the 1st 3 months of 2026 52,000. There are 20 bikes in the fleet which are shared depending on the shifts and the riders take a test every 3 years for insurance purposes and safety. They operate Monday to Friday 5pm-7am and 24hours weekends and bank holidays, in all winds and weathers delivering urgent medical supplies, pathological samples, blood platelets, baby milk, stem cells and anything else that will fit in their boxes and act as a relay if deliveries for Devon etc. Fresh blood is taken to the Air Ambulance daily and this can be used for transfusions on their flights - another first for the AA! Covid was a trying time but they played a very important part helping all aspects of the NHS. How lucky are we to have such a great service run by so many volunteers!
Friday 15th May is our AGM when our Adviser from County is coming to ensure all is running smoothly!! and then in June we look forward to our new year.
JUDITH JASPER
