Firm helps 'blood bikes' charity to save lives

PART OF 'COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY'

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

Lawyer Alisdair Hall, of Plymouth law firm GA Solicitors, on a South West Blood Bikes motorcycle after the law firm advised on a deal for the charity's new base at Becton Dickinson and Co

A PLYMOUTH factory has given a home to a city charity which saves lives.

South West Blood Bikes (SWBB) has signed a six-year lease on a new purpose-built facility on land owned by medical technology manufacturing giant Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD).

Costs for the design and construction of the base, in Roborough, were significant and wholly paid for by BD as part of its commitment to corporate social responsibility. Acting upon an initial staff suggestion, the business chose to assist the charity and support its much-needed services.

Run entirely by volunteers, SWBB provides a free, out-of-hours transportation service for essential medical supplies such as blood, plasma, platelets and pathology samples. Volunteers use specially equipped motorcycles and cars to transport these items to hospitals and hospices throughout Devon and beyond.