Due to the pandemic the Herefordshire Freemasons have been approached by the Severn Freewheelers, a volunteer group who deliver blood and other emergency equipment for the NHS both in and out of working hours to park their Skoda Yeti vehicle in their rear car park, so it is near the hospital ready for action. Although Severn Freewheelers normally use motorcycles for their work, Hereford has been allocated the Yeti so their service can continue to operate when weather and/or road conditions are unsafe for two wheels
The Freemasons of Herefordshire said they would be proud to allocate one of their spaces in the car park to the rear of their building for the Freewheelers to use.
Severn Freewheelers is one of around 30 Blood Bike groups operating in the UK that provide a free courier service to the NHS. A registered charity that has been operating since 2007, Severn Freewheelers is manned entirely by volunteers and serves the hospital trusts in Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, North Wiltshire and Worcestershire.
They operate an out of hours, on call, service from 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday, a continuous service over weekends and 24-hour cover on public holidays. Along with other Blood Bike groups Severn Freewheelers has received considerable financial support over the past few years from the Freemasons, both nationally and within their own area of operations.
Although known as Blood Bikes, Severn Freewheelers will carry anything the NHS says there is a medical need to move, provided it can be carried safely; items regularly carried include pathology samples, patient notes, medication of all types, breast milk and medical equipment. As well as serving NHS facilities they deliver to hospices, nursing homes and private addresses.
