Blood Bikes Scotland has secured funding from retailer Scotmid that will allow it to expand into Fife
An award winning charity has received a funding boost which will allow it to extend its services.
Blood Bikes Scotland has become the latest big winners from Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect initiative – being awarded funding of £15,000 to extend their service into Fife.
The group – which won both the Charity of the Year and People’s Choice awards at the Scottish Charity Awards – has operated a free urgent courier service for medical supplies in Lothian and the Borders.
A small team of dedicated volunteers provide the service outside of normal office hours; delivering urgent medical supplies, blood samples, baby milk, medication or test samples to accident and emergency departments, wards, hospices and home addresses.
Scotmid launched the initiative last year to help support charities, community projects and good cause groups continue the valuable work they do in communities and this was the inaugural awards in Edinburgh, Fife and the Lothians.
Blood Bikes Scotland chairman John Baxter said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have been awarded £15,000 through Scotmid’s Community Connect initiative.
“Special thanks go to all the Scotmid members, who voted for us – it will make a significant difference to what we do and the service we’re able to provide.
“The funding will now go towards funding a new bike and provide us with the opportunity to work with the Fife Health Board – expanding what we do into a wider area.”
The funding for the initiative sees local groups win a share of £25,000 generated from the sale of single-use carrier bags to support their ongoing work in the local area.
Scotmid members collected votes by swiping their Community Connect card after every in-store purchase and then voted for their preferred good cause group either in the shop or by attending last night’s Ordinary General Meeting at Murrayfield (Monday 1 October).
The other Community Connect award winners were Prestonpans-based Harlawhill Day Care Centre, who were awarded £7,500, and West Lothian’s Broxburn Family Centre, who scooped £2,500.
Scotmid Co-operative president Harry Cairney said: “Congratulations to Blood Bikes Scotland and all the Community Connect award winners.
“This was a milestone event – the first-ever Community Connect awards in Scotmid’s East Region and the vote was extremely close, so thanks to all our members who helped to determine the outcome.
“Our core purpose is to serve our local communities and improve people’s everyday lives and Community Connect goes towards enabling us to achieve those goals.”
