Further to the earlier article, two further sesquicentenary presentations have been made to deserving charities nominated by Warwickshire District members. These are:
Midland Freewheelers Emergency Riders – £2500
Bulkington Community Library – £1500

Midland Freewheelers Emergency Riders

Midland Freewheelers began the organisation on 1st July 2010, with just one bike which had many miles on the clock. The operation now operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year in all weathers, and now runs numerous bikes and emergency cars, and covers the whole of the West Midlands. The charity is fully operated by volunteers who ride the bikes and drive the cars, coordinate the operation and fundraise.
They carry anything of a medical nature, including blood, human tissue, breast milk, samples, x-rays, patient information and are always of high priority. They co-ordinate with other groups providing medical supplies across the country, also assisting with the formation of other groups and advise on the development of new groups.
The charity is entirely self funding, and receive no financial support from government or any other source.
Shown below is the presentation of the cheque by the District Grand Master Peter Wellings, to the Chair of the charity – Lorraine Gough and other members of the team. The nomination was put forward by John Hayward, District Almoner (also pictured) on behalf of the District.

The District Grand Master, Peter Wellings, tries out the bike purchased from the £750,000 Mark Benevolent Fund donation, shared between all 40 such groups across the UK.

The Midland Freewheelers charity were the first of all Blood Bike groups to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service as below:

Bulkington Community Library

Bulkington Community Library, in the village of Bulkington near Nuneaton, operates as a charity, run entirely by volunteers. It receives no funding from Warwickshire County Council, who provide the building on a rent free basis and some new books.  Therefore volunteers organise fundraising events on a regular basis to cover utilities, repairs, insurance, general wear and tear etc. These include a monthly quiz, tea and cake mornings, raffles and a Christmas grotto. The charity also sells second hand books, donated by members of the public. 

The grant of £1500 will go towards the upgrading of the ladies and men’s toilets to ensure that they are suitable for the significant number of visitors who are disabled or have mobility problems.  Such users will benefit greatly from these improvements, as they currently have difficulties accessing the toilets and so may be deterred from enjoying the library facilities.

The photograph above shows Wendy Fudge, Library Manager on the left, receiving the cheque from the District Grand Master, Peter Wellings, with Deputy District Master, Peter Stokes, who nominated the Library for the grant.  The other Ladies are all volunteers who were on duty at the time.

A very worthy charity, which will benefit greatly from the grant.  Well done to all the volunteers who keep the Library operating.