Volunteers who provide a vital service to the NHS in Torbay and South Devon are celebrating their 350th call out.

Volunteer-run South West Blood Bikes provides a free emergency courier service to all of Devon’s hospitals as well as many NHS sites.

The charity started supporting the Trust in December 2024, assisting with medicine deliveries. In Devon, the group is made up of four teams and a mixed fleet of 21 motorbikes and cars.

Since last month volunteers have also been helping to deliver and courier samples to and from laboratories.

South West Blood Bikes have now undertaken more than 350 deliveries with volunteers covering thousands of miles across the region.

Dr Kate Lissett, chief medical officer for the NHS, said she was “extremely grateful” for their support and pointed out that volunteers helped to transport not just blood but medical equipment, and even donor human breast milk for premature babies.

She said: “They also help to deliver medicines to patients at home. This is a huge benefit as this can help people get home quicker and help free up bed space within the hospital for people who are waiting for care.

“Since December, Blood Bikes have travelled over 3,000 miles locally in support of the Trust, that is about the distance between Torbay Hospital and Cairo in Egypt!”

Chairperson of the charity, Mark Bentley, said: “I am delighted that we now provide our free service to Torbay Hospital as well as other hospitals in Devon.

“Our outstanding volunteers are doing a wonderful job by helping to make patients’ lives easier by bringing them things that they need, quickly and to their door, as well as supporting deliveries between community hospitals and healthcare settings.”

South West Blood Bikes are seeking volunteers and have positions for riders and drivers, as well as support roles such as a controller, fundraiser or helping with administration.

For further details please visit www.swbb.charity.