A FORMER Post motorcycle messenger hopes to convert pedal power into pounds as he rides across the country to raise money for a group delivering vital supplies to hospitals.
Mike Burns, 52, will visit 14 breast milk banks in 14 days around England including stops at Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cambridge and Oxford.
Mr Burns, who now works as an online graphic designer, felt compelled to do something after seeing the care Southmead Hospital provided for a terminally ill family member three years ago.
He joined Freewheelers Emergency Volunteer Service (EVS), a group using motorcycles to deliver blood and other vital supplies to hospitals across the country.
In 2010 Mr Burns, who lives in Church Road, Norton Malreward, cycled from John O'Groats to Land's End and raised enough to buy the group its first ever brand new purpose-built emergency BMW 1200 motorcycle.
Last year he put together another three-week, 1,250 mile ride which linked all the NHS blood centres nationwide and resulted in the charity acquiring another four motorcycles.
This year, with the opening of the new milk bank at Southmead, Mr Burns' challenge is to visit all 14 milk banks in the country in 14 days.
The breast milk bank helps premature babies whose mothers have difficulty feeding them.
The facility gives babies, who might otherwise be vulnerable to stomach problems, access to a supply of breast milk, even if their own mums are struggling to produce enough.
Mr Burns' bike ride will start in Leeds on May 1, and see him visit several cities, finishing the ride on May 14 at Southmead Hospital's new milk bank.
Mr Burns said: "My first job when I left school was with the Post where I was employed as a motorcycle messenger for 11 years.
"I now have an online graphic design business which frees my time up during the day to deliver donor breast milk and organise these fundraising events.
"Freewheelers has recently formed a new Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) support division and this year the intention is to raise money to buy motorcycles to deliver the donor breast milk and a car to transport mums to visit their newborn babies in care at NICU."
To sponsor Mr Burns visit www.bloodbikes.co.uk.
No comments:
Post a Comment