On Friday 17th August 2018 (Blood Bikes Awareness Day), APGM, Gerry Young and his wife Annette were at the National Motorcycle Museum,Birmingham representing the Province when the Mark Benevolent Fund National Blood Bikes Dedication and Handover took place.
Also in attendance were representatives of 41 other Mark Provinces and 26 Teams of Blood Bikers, with MBF sponsored, specially equipped Bikes and Cars from member clubs of the National Association of Blood Bikes across England and Wales.
Brethren from East Lancashire Mark Province will no doubt remember the MBF Charity Walk in May 2017 when R.W.Bro. Alex McLaren led a super-fit Provincial Team to complete the MBF Walk through the Royal Parks. Sponsorship from that Event produced an astonishing £437,934. These funds have all been dedicated to the purchasing of vehicles for the Blood Bikes volunteers and in total the MBF has sponsored 16 Blood Bikes and10 Blood Cars.
After some words of welcome from R.W.Bro. Ryan Willams, Honorary Secretary of the MBF, a short presentation was given by the National Association of Blood Bikes tracing the relationship between our two organisations from 2016 when MBF responded positively to an application from Northumbria Blood Bikes. The Blood Bikes Charity provides out of hours transportation services for local NHS sites in the movement of blood and human tissue using an entirely voluntary team of bikers and drivers.
The Grand Chaplain, V.W.Bro. Revd Bruce Harry spoke in warm terms about the vital service provided selflessly by the Blood Bike volunteers to our communities and the important benefits the charitable giving of the MBF can bring to individuals and charitable organisations. The vehicles were then blessed by the Grand Chaplain.
Deputy President of the MBF, R.W.Bro. Tony Morris referred to the continuing work of the MBF in its 150th Year and ceremonially handed the keys of each vehicle in turn to Blood Bike Teams together with a certificate signed by the M.W. Grand Master, Prince Michael of Kent.
In closing, R.W.Bro.Ryan Williams hoped that the proceedings had made us feel proud of what had been achieved. Surrounded by sparkling Blood Bikes and encouraged by Heather Small on PA singing “What have you done today to make you feel proud?” I think we probably did.
Gerry Young APGM