After the meeting, members were able have a close look at the bikes being used by the Association.
The first blood bike volunteer group to be established was the Emergency Volunteer Service (EVS), formed in 1962 in Surrey, England, by Margaret Ryerson and her husband. In 1969 the Freewheelers youth community action group formed in Stevenage which initially served hospitals in Stevenage, Luton, Dunstable, Bedford and Hitchin. These original groups are no longer operating, but other groups emerged that provide similar services.
Cecil Turner founded Yeovil Freewheelers in 1978. In 1981, SERV (which formed shortly after the original EVS disbanded) and the North East Thames Region Emergency Voluntary Service (also known as the EVS) in North East London was founded. North East Thames Region EVS disbanded in November 1998 but SERV continues to operate as a number of different groups.
Blood Bikes Scotland founding members started off by wanting to put something back and contacted NABB (Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes) to try to volunteer, the reply was that if we wanted to volunteer in Scotland then we would have to start our own group as none existed north of the border. In 2012, we applied for charitable status and the long road to working with the NHS started.
The group eventually commenced working for NHS Borders in 2014 and based ourselves around the Borders General Hospital in Melrose. We had one Honda 1100 Pan European motorcycle donated by a member of that time. Our second bike was a 1300ST Pan European (Katie) and she was to be based in Edinburgh, although we had not yet started working for NHS Lothian.
Whilst still working in the Borders we kept trying to move forward with Lothian and the breakthrough came when the NHS Lothian Flow Centre was born, this was to be a transport hub for all of Lothian and our concept fitted right in with what they wanted to achieve. We had a committee change and an injection of new blood to the group, new ideas, new impetus and our first sizeable donation since our conception.
In 2017, all the pieces fell into place and we started working for NHS Lothian, this has gone from strength to strength and has been so successful that we are now also working with NHS Fife and Forth Valley.
Because of the success of the group, we have had to regularly add to our fleet of motorcycles and now have eight operational bikes. Currently two BMW R1200RT’s in the Borders. One BMW R1200RT, one BMW C Evolution electric bike and two Yamaha FJR 1300’s based in Edinburgh, one Yamaha FJR 1300 based in Fife and, one Yamaha FJR 1300 based in Forth Valley. Although Katie is no longer used as an operational bike she is still with the group and regularly appears at fundraisers.
more Members and friends on their kilt walk
more Members of the club joined Judy Greenwood for an outing to Seahouses at the beginning of May
more Coastal Rowing Club members and Rotarians gather at the harbour, socially distanced, to mark the end of Steve Elliott's cycling challenge to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK.
more President Andrew presenting the club's community award to Moira Wright of the Food Bank
more Rhona hands over the Club Presidency to Andrew (Socially Distanced of Course)
more The Rotary Club of Dunbar has been delighted to welcome seven new members since the start of Rotary Year 2019-20.
more The annual Handover Dinner was held at Winterfield Golf Club on 24th June, 2019
more 25th June 2018
more Dunbar Choral Society Charity Concert
more New member Andy Pringle was inducted into the Rotary Club of Dunbar on Monday 24th September.
more During February and March club members visited all the Primary Schools in the Dunbar area
more Club members plant trees as part of RIBI's "Plant a Tree for Rotary" initiiative.
more Club members held a collection at ASDA in aid of the Indonesian Earthquake and Tsunami Appeal
more Kyle McPherson of Dunbar has won the District Young Writer's Award
more The Dunbar round of District 1020's Primary school quiz was held on Wednesday 17th January
more On Tuesday 28th November, a plaque was unveiled at Dunbar's Mercat Cross.
more Movember is the month when "Mo Bros" grow mos (mustaches) to highlight men's health issues, notably prostate cancer and testicular cancer
more Presentations were made to the winners of the Young Writers competition and the Community Salver was awarded to Alasdair and Pippa Swan for their services to Dunbar
more Eighteen pupils from the P5 class at Dunbar Primary School took part in this year’s Young Writer’s Competition.
more Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Bombay Kandivli visit Dunbar
more The Handover Dinner was held on Monday 26th June in the Winterfield Golf Club
more The Rotary Club of Dunbar held its "Youth Night" on Monday19th June
more The area final of the District 1020 Primary Schools Quiz was held at Prestonpans Primary School on Wednesday 17th May
more The Club's annual International Night was held in the Hillside Hotel on Monday 6th March 2017
more The Rotary Club of Dunbar hosted a brunch on Sunday 5th March as part of the celebration for International Women's Day. The Keynote speaker was Sarah Brown.
more Planting at Rotary Court
more In January 2017, President Bob McKinnon took part in Rotary's End Polio Now immunisation programme in India. Here is his account of his experiences.
more A party of nine from the Rotary Club of Dunbar (the K9) visit Kalimpong
more The Club honours David and Jean Arnott
more The Club's annual Charity Shop will be taking place between 31st October and 12th November 2016
more Saturday 26th November 2016
more In September 2016 a group of 9 Rotarians and partners are visiting Kalimpong, NE India to visit the Global Grant funded Project
more Robin Hamilton has been presented with a Champion of Change award
more Pupils from Dunbar Primary School are presented with the Rotary Junior Community Award
more The Rotary Club's Duck Race was held on the Biel Burn on Saturday 18th June
more Retiring President Judy Greenwood handed over the Presidency of Dunbar Rotary Club to incoming President Bob McKinnon at a dinner held at Dunbar Golf Club on Monday 27th June 2016.
more Dunbar Grammar School Peace Casuals decided to raise money in support of the Harbour Lights project
more A GSE team from District 6600 in Ohio was hosted by Dunbar Rotary Club from 22nd-29th March.
more Presentation of the Awards by President Judy Greenwood
more Dunbar Rotarians have been visiting local primary schools to inform them about the progress that has been made by Rotary International's "End Polio Now" campaign.
more The Club invited Rotary Global Scholar Carly McKie to its annual International Night on Monday 7th March. At the meeting President Judy Greenwood introduced Maggie Packwood as a new member of the club
more Dunmuir Hotel, Sunday 13th March 2016
more On Monday 25th January, 29 members and friends of the Rotary Club of Dunbar celebrated the Club"™s traditional Scottish Night with an evening of good food and entertainment at the Rocks.
more On Wednesday 27th January 2016, eight teams from local Dunbar primary schools took part in the annual Rotary Primary Schools Quiz.
more Members and guests celebrated Christmas at Dunbar Bowling Club on Monday 14th December 2015
more The annual President's Night was held in the Dunbar Golf Club on Satrurday 28th November
more Dunbar Rotary Club were the grateful recipients of funds raised by local singers and musicians at a concert held at Belhaven Parish Church at the end of October.
more Secretary Graeme Darkes is awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of his outstanding service to the club
more 2015 was another standing success for the Rotary Club's Charity Shop
more Trophies presented to two young golfers, junior members of Dunbar Golf Club
more The club's annual Handover Dinner was held on Monday 22nd June at the Rocks
more The Rotary Club of Dunbar celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its Charter with a dinner at the Dunbar Golf Club on Saturday 29th March.
more 2014 - 2015 Year
more Photographs from our Rotary Year 2013-14
more Photographs from our Rotary Year 2012-13
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