The charity’s Cycle Response team has taken delivery of three new all-terrain medical response bicycles to use at events in the county from the Knights Templar of Staffordshire & Shropshire Province, a side order of the Freemasons.
The bikes were handed over to the charity at a special dinner at the Freemason’s Hall in Crewe Street, Shrewsbury, on September 12.
A team of six members of the Province cycled 157 miles from Whitehaven in Cumbria on the west coast, to Tynemouth on the east coast in May to raise more than £9,000 to add to funds already raised by the Knights Templar themselves.
The bikes, complete with fully equipped medical kits and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), will be used at events like the Newport Nocturne cycle race, the Shropshire Mud Run Series, the Newport show and the V festival in neighbouring Staffordshire, to quickly access areas that may be hard to reach by vehicles.
The three bikes will be added to the current St John Ambulance fleet of eight bikes that currently serve Shropshire and Staffordshire. There is a team of 12 volunteer cycle responders
The Coast to Coast trek over gruelling terrain including on and off-road riding was completed by John Derry, 52, from Rugeley, Bob Wilkins, 48, from Sutton Coldfield, 39-year old Martin Snape from Wolverhampton, Howard Jenkins, 64 of, Great Wyrley, Jonathan Bryan, 49, who lives in Church Eaton, and Paul Molley, 52, from Sandbach.
Using national cycle routes, the ride took them across the Lake District and Yorkshire moors and included several high ascents bringing the overall height climbed on the route to over 3,000m. To make the challenge even tougher, the riders used the Cycle Responder bikes.
The Knights Templar donation has been welcomed by St John Ambulance District Manager Maureen Upton.
She said: “The Cycle Responders play a vital role in delivering prompt first aid where it’s needed at events across Shropshire and it will be great to have two more bikes in the fleet so we can provide volunteers at more events in the county.”
“This was by no means an easy challenge but definitely an appropriate one to raise funds to buy two bikes for our Cycle Responders.”
Gary Read, Provincial Prior for Staffordshire and Shropshire Knights Templar said: “We are delighted to be raising funds and the awareness of this hugely valuable service across both counties and to be a part of the UK wide network of first responders.”
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