Derbyshire Blood Bikes

22/12/2025

As we head into the festive season once again, I wanted to take a moment to send my very best wishes to everyone who makes up the blood bike community. I hope you and your families have a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year.

The Christmas period is often a busy time of the year for many groups, and it never fails to impress me how volunteers across the country step forward without hesitation. The commitment, teamwork, and generosity shown at this time of year truly reflect the very best of what blood biking stands for, and the difference you make is felt far beyond what most people ever see.

I also wanted to acknowledge that, while the NABB team may have appeared relatively quiet publicly at times this year, a great deal of work has been taking place behind the scenes. Trustees and volunteers have been focused on putting strong foundations in place to support a more resilient, effective, and sustainable NABB going forward. We’re looking forward to sharing more about this work with you all in the New Year.

I hope that alongside your volunteering, you’re able to take some well-earned time to rest, reflect, and enjoy the company of friends and family over the festive period.

Thank you, as always, for everything you do, whether on the road, behind the scenes, or supporting your local group in any way.

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a positive, successful year ahead.

Warmest regards,
Alex Chalmers (Chair)

22/12/2025

19/12/2025

It’s another long distance relay today helping The Hearts Milk Bank transferring processed milk to hospitals in the north east.

The journey begins with the frozen milk being collected from Hearts Milk Bank by Serv Herts & Beds with a handover to our man Paul at Northampton M1 services. A journey north to Wetherby Services has a handover to Northumbria Blood Bikes who complete the deliveries to the final destinations.

For our volunteer that’s close to 300 miles and almost 6 hours driving. All to bring essential nutrition to poorly or premature babies in the northeast.

And not just today either. On Monday this week, we completed the reverse relay with donated milk from donors in the northeast to Hearts for processing.

That’s teamwork!

17/12/2025

John Douglas Hayward. Passed away in October 2024, aged 82 years.

President of Trent Rowing Club, a member of Burton Rugby Football Club and Beatus Choir, he was also a Derbyshire Freemason in the Tutbury Caste Lodge.

Today, our Operations Manager Mark Vallis met up with John’s daughters, Rachel and Melanie at Ashfield House in Burton on Trent, along with Roger Bacon, past WM of the Tutbury Castle Lodge and Steve Twigg, the Lodge’s Almoner and photographer.

The group were able reminisce their memories of John, of his life, his service and his wonderful voice.

We were honoured to accept a donation of £1000 in memory of John.

13/12/2025

Evening talk to the Trent Valley Wood Turners at their AGM and annual prize presentation in Kegworth. We were delighted to accept a donation of £500 from the group.

13/12/2025

Out today at Denby Pottery Village with a new star tombola prize, our third of the Denby Christmas Fair, a DBB children’s trike!

Also at Buxton Spring Shopping Centre and Park Farm Allestree.

Across the county raising funds and awareness!

12/12/2025

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11/12/2025

Our volunteers are out fundraising again this week and over the weekend.

Denby Pottery Village are again hosting another 4 days of their Christmas Fair and we’ll be there with our fabulous Tombola, with another brand new child’s bicycle as a star prize.

On Saturday, we’ll also be at Allestree’s Park Farm with the Allestree Hand Bell Ringers pealing out some fabulous Christmas tunes no doubt.

If you’re further north, you’ll also find us in Buxton Spring Shopping Centre.

Another busy weekend with 26 volunteers making the fundraising events possible.

10/12/2025

We continue to provide a 24/7 free service to our NHS across Derbyshire and occasionally to other NHS facilities elsewhere. One of those is the NHS Milk Bank at Birmingham Women’s Hospital.

They have been on a mission recently to increase their levels of donated milk and were close to pasturisong their remaining stock, when they took a very welcome call from the neonatal unit at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Queens Medical Centre, offering a large donation from a Mum whose child remains on their unit, but now has sufficient feeding supply.

That’s when the Milk Bank called us asking for a collection and we responded today.

We were able to deploy a volunteer in a car today to collect three bags tightly packed with frozen breast milk and deliver to the Milk Bank at Birmingham Women’s Hospital.

In a few days, once the associated blood sample results are back, this large quantity can be processed and enter the supply chain for neonatal units across the region.

07/12/2025

Today we completed our 8000th Mission in 2025. The 8000th job was completed by Mark, our Ops Manager, making a delivery of medication from Ward 5 at Florence Nightingale Hospital to a patient in Sinfin Moor, a Derby suburb.

This week we have responded to just over 200 requests from our NHS service users, mainly University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust and Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS FT & Royal Primary Care. The week has been effectively managed by 14 different controllers deploying 43 different riders and drivers.

In addition, 28 volunteers have been involved in 7 fundraising days in 4 locations across the County.

Well done to all who've volunteered this week!

Do you want to get involved? Head over to our web site www.derbyshirebloodbikes.org, find out more information and register your interest!

07/12/2025

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