SSCBB FAQ: How to become a Blood Biker

No, we all work from home, but you can contact us at the address below or email us: info@ssbbgroup.org.uk

Our registered charity number is 1156212

Our address is:

SSCBB,

Watling Chambers, West Suite, 214 Watling Street

Cannock, Staffordshire

WS11 0BD

To become a volunteer blood biker, you can follow these steps:

Contact us: Recruitment for our rider and controller roles is driven by the requirements of the areas we serve. Email our Membership Secretary to check if we are recruiting in your area. members@ssbbgroup.org.uk

Qualifications: Obtain a full motorcycle licence and a recognized advanced riding qualification.

Training: Attend an Induction meeting and undergo an Assessment ride with our Assessment and Induction Team.

Shifts: Sign up for shifts that suit your personal schedule. We operate 24/7 and appreciate your availability based on your commitments.

Yes, our volunteers include many people who are not riders. Although you will find some of our volunteers, ride, control and fundraise!

Our Controllers who work from home, equipped with a computer and a phone receive job requests, dispatch and monitor riders and maintain contact with them until a job is completed.

Our Events Fundraisers attend events and engage in our publicity efforts. Fundraising is a key part of what we do as without the funds we wouldn’t be able to operate our service.

Our Talks Team welcomes experienced members (riders, controllers or fundraisers).

If you have a talent or skill you think could be of benefit to us or can spare a few hours a month to help us fundraise please let us know by emailing our Membership Secretary: members@ssbbgroup.org.uk

All our riders are required to have held a full motorcycle licence and hold a recognised advanced riding qualification (such as IAM, RoSPA, Police or one of our listed qualifications). If you want to ride for us, we can put you in contact with one of the local advanced rider groups so you can gain the required qualification. All riders are required to attend an Induction meeting and have an Assessment ride with our Assessment and Induction Team before being able to volunteer for shifts.

All Controllers will receive full Instruction with one of our experienced Controller Mentoring Team.

Our Events Fundraisers just need ‘enthusiasm’ and a willingness to lead and attend the variety of Events on our Events log. We have gazebos, merchandise kits and collection buckets to support that activity.

All applicants to join us are required to provide a personal reference.

SSCBB volunteers don’t ride their own bikes, they ride bikes owned by the charity. We currently operate a fleet consisting of BMW R1250RS, BMW R1300 RS and BMW R1300RT.

These are tourer type motorcycles designed to be ridden for extended periods and distances, that offer some protection from the worst of the weather and which have reasonable luggage capacity including blood trays.

Our bikes have full high visibility markings in order to ensure they can be easily identified as ‘Blood Bikes’ and so help our riders and their precious cargo be seen and stay safe.

Yes , we have a fleet of 4 Dacia Joggers.  The charity recognised that as the frequency of requests increased, it couldn’t guarantee meeting those demands in sub zero temperatures when riding a bike is not a safe option. It trialled 4-wheel options at the back end of 2023 and it provided the solution needed to being able to meet the needs of FMT as well as other requests during inhospitable weather conditions.

Riders must have their own protective motorcycle clothing such as boots, trousers, jacket, gloves etc and are expected to use their own helmet. We supply liveried Hi Vis Jackets at a highly subsidised cost. Volunteers are encouraged to wear our branded clothing particularly at Events.

Blood and blood products such as platelets are packed inside special insulated boxes, and these are then secured to a special rack on the bike. The boxes are designed to maintain the temperature of the load during transportation. Our bikes also have panniers where small samples can be transported along with non-temperature sensitive items such as instruments or documentation. Frozen donated breast milk is transported in special milk boxes.

Newly joining members pay a one-off £10 membership fee to cover initial administrative costs.

No, we receive no such funding and must raise funds ourselves to operate our service. There are various fundraising opportunities available to us from our own Events to Grant applications and Corporate Fundraising.

Often individuals will fundraise funds for us through Just Giving campaigns. Companies will often adopt us as their ‘charity of the year’ and supermarkets will allow us to collect funds in-store. We are always open to new initiatives and love to work with individuals and companies.

We appreciate everyone has different personal commitments with family\work etc. We work a shift system for riders and controllers and aim to offer our service 24/7. We ask that riders and controllers sign up for as many shifts as suits their personal situation.

For those volunteering to help out with fundraising, we are happy to take whatever time you can give, even if it is just a couple of hours at an event in your area (such as a supermarket collection).

They come from a wide variety and cross-section of people from all walks of life. People like you!

There are many ways that you can donate to our charity, find out more here.

If you have any queries about raising funds for us, contact our Fundraising Manager, Lynne – fundraising@ssbbgroup.org.uk