Category: Charity

1. Automotive charity Ben announces partnership with wellbeing experts Wellonomics

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 3rd Dec 2021

   Past and present automotive industry workers will be given expert help to tackle everyday issues such as poor sleep, low mood and job worries through a digital platform specially developed to support automotive businesses across the UK.

2. Ben Launches Christmas Appeal as Demand for Support Soars

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 18th Nov 2021

   Ben, the automotive industry charity, has launched a new Christmas Appeal which aims to raise at least £500,000 to ensure it can support the record numbers of people calling on its services this year.

3. Motorcycle duo "Let it Go" in fancy dress fundraiser for SSAFA

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 24th Aug 2021

   Motorcycle enthusiasts Mark 'Spoons' Witherspoon and Dave 'Woolie' Newsome took to the stage dressed as princesses Elsa and Anna from Frozen last weekend in front of a crowd of over 100 bikers after making a bet to raise £350 for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity.   

    

   Spoons and Woolie “Let it Go” on 21st August 2021 – Woolie’s birthday – at GEMCC Sapphire & Steel motorcycle rally at the Sloop Inn, Temple Hirst, Selby.

   Spoons was a Lance Corporal in the Fusiliers for nine years, taking in two tours including Northern Ireland and Bosnia. Woolie is a long-term supporter of the Armed Forces community and runs Team Sober MCC, which has raised funds for SSAFA over the last few years.

   The duo said: “We agreed that if we raised £350 for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, we would dress as female princesses. The community has now raised £460 meaning we have to go ahead with our challenge!” 

   As well as raising a few eyebrows, the intrepid pair has now raised more than £755 for SSAFA with their Frozen inspired onstage exploits.

   Their friend, Paul Auduchowitsch, said: “We have purchased the dresses, wands and tiaras for the two of them. SSAFA has kindly provided a pretty sash for the pair of them too!” 

   Donations are still being accepted, and If you would like to contribute, click here: justgiving.com/fundraising/paul-auduchowitsch2 
   
   

   

    

   

    

   SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, has been providing lifelong support to our Forces and their families since 1885. In 2020, our teams of volunteers and employees helped more than 79,000 people in need, from Second World War veterans to young men and women who have served in more recent conflicts, and their families. SSAFA understands that behind every uniform is a person. And we are here for that person – any time they need us, in any way they need us, for as long as they need us. 

   
   ssafa.org.uk 

    

4. Ben announces Industry Leader Challenge: The Climb to take place in October

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 20th May 2021

   Automotive industry charity, Ben, announces that its biggest ever Industry Leader Challenge (ILC) fundraiser, The Climb, is now set to take place from 30^th October to 8^th November 2021.

5. Who are Blood Bikers?

   Posted on 11:00am Tuesday 27th Apr 2021

   Blood Bikers might sound like a less than friendly motorcycle gang, but in reality, this is actually an organization that saves lives and makes a huge difference to healthcare. Essentially, blood bikers provide a professional rapid response medi-cal transport service to the NHS transporting things like blood, surgical instru-ments, human donor milk, medication and more recently COVID-19 serial testing.  

   A Noble Charity
   
   Run by unpaid volunteers, Blood Bikers have roots going back over 50 years with the rapid response motorcycle charity providing a highly valuable service to the NHS and public as a whole through delivering key medical products in the quick-est possible way. The group is constantly growing too, which means that they can provide a nationwide service and make a big difference to public health

   Life as a Blood Biker

   Motorbike insurance specialist Carole Nash supports Manchester Blood Bikes and looked into what a day in the life of this important role is like with Malcolm - a Blood Biker from Sunderland. Malcolm decided to join the cause after his sister was involved in a serious accident with her life being saved by the air ambulance. This led Malcolm to seek out ways to support them, which took him to the North-umbria Blood Bikes website. Malcolm described his best experience as a blood biker:

   “One time I got an urgent job for some blood to be taken to a hospital about 15 miles away. Because I was on a blood bike, I could cut through the traffic and ar-rived there very quickly before delivering the blood on time. The next day some-one posted a story about the lady we’d saved on Facebook. Apparently, this lady had cancer, and wouldn’t have survived without the blood transfusion she was able to have as a result of our work as Blood Bikers. That is one of the things that stands out for me. You never know who you are helping from one night to the next.”

   Blood Bikes Leinster

   Blood Bikes Leinster, which was established in 2013 and supports hospitals throughout Ireland. Fergus Lennon, Director of Blood Bikes Leinster, commented on the support offering by the Dublin-based motorbike insurance specialist:

   Blood Bikers do fantastic and noble work helping to transport vital medical supplies in times of need to save lives and make the work of NHS staff much easier. This is also a growing organization and one that deserves as much support and praise as possible.

   “We are truly grateful to Carole Nash who have sponsored us and provided our bike insurance for the fourth year running. Every penny adds up for our small charity and we are so appreciative of their support.”

   “We also take the Carole Nash Blood Bike teddy bear with us on our Blood Bike travels which has brought a smile on the face of many a poorly child.”

    

    

    

    

   Article supplied