Bloodbikes Australia
By Sean Mooney
On another rainy March morning, a group of motorcyclists rolled outside the former Department of Education building on the corner of Bridge and Young Street, Sydney, to snap a historic photo.
It is outside this building that a fleet of volunteer bicycles known as SOS Motorcycles were photographed more than a century ago. During the 1919 Spanish flu pandemic, these cyclists delivered clothing, food, and other essentials to those in need in poorer parts of the city. They also bring doctors and nurses to visit sick people who are isolated at home.
Their present-day equivalent – Bloodbikes Australia – was established in 2019, not initially to combat our current pandemic, but to provide blood, biopsies, testing, a clinical trial program and more for healthcare providers. Of course, COVID-19 arrived soon after, and Bloodbikes Australia riders have volunteered to courier COVID-19 tests from collection centers to laboratories across the country since then.
A small group of members took part in this photographic recreation, including founder Peter Davis (who had descended from Queensland for the event) and Sydney coordinator Richard Alder.
Bloodbikes Australia is an independent not-for-profit organization that offers these services free of charge to help free up more money for healthcare delivery. Since its inception in September 2019, Bloodbikes Australia volunteers have performed more than 2,200 pick-ups and deliveries to more than 40 healthcare providers across the country.
Today, the group boasts more than 400 volunteers across states and territories. Riders volunteer our time, motorbike, fuel and road expenses to do some good while riding their motorbike.
Bloodbikes Australia was inspired by the growing Bloodbikes movement in the UK and Ireland, but Davis says the way Bloodbikes Australia operates is unique in the world.
Peter Davis – Founder of Bloodbikes Australia
“This is the first volunteer franchise where all volunteers agree to the same terms, all volunteers are completely equal and without any money involved. There is no fundraising, as every volunteer pays their own expenses. And real-time cloud-based availability records allow healthcare providers to see which volunteers are available at the time as well. ”
If you think Bloodbikes Australia might be for you, you’ll need more than three years of driving experience, plus a reliable bike with full rego and comprehensive motorcycle insurance and a bucket or pannier Good size in the back. You will also need to complete an online course in blood transport. In addition, each new rider is required to join an experienced volunteer in the induction run.
For more information visit the Bloodbikes Australia Facebook page, website: www.bloodbikesaustralia.org.auor email [email protected].
