Freewheelers EVS

Who are you? My wife Rachel and I moved from Pembrokeshire to the area just over 10 years ago.  Now living in Paulton, near Midsomer Norton, we have two young children.

How long have you been riding and what bike do you normally ride? I’ve been on two wheels for 10 years now.  When we moved to Bristol, I decided to get a scooter as my job was in the city centre, and this made it only a 10 minute journey as opposed to 45 minutes on the bus.  This provided me with a good foundation to bike riding as you quickly learn to safely filter in traffic with what in essence was a motorised push-bike.  At the time I was always saying that I would never get a “real bike”, but when we moved out of the city, the scooter just didn’t quite cut it.  So I took my test in 2002, and bought a Kawasaki ZR7S.  Don’t knock it; as a first bike it did the job.  It quickly became my ambition to buy a Triumph Sprint ST, having seen one on the back of a bike mag.  I took ownership of all 955cc of the Triumph and have had this since new.

It wasn’t until 2 years ago that I went on one of the Police Ride to Arrive courses.  Very useful, although nerve-racking at the time with a police rider following me around!  I took my advanced IAM in 2009, and continue to develop my riding skills on the Triumph.

What do you do for Freewheelers? I am a volunteer rider on the East (Bath) Bike and join in the fundraising fun wherever possible.  I am proud to say that I am a volunteer for such a service and take every opportunity to promote what we do.

How long have you been with Freewheelers and why did you join? I originally attended a BikeSafe event that is hosted annually by the Police, and it evolved from there.  Once I established that Advanced Riders are not all bearded old codgers I decided to join Cheddar Advanced Motorcyclists and quickly took my advanced test.  Freewheelers was initially “I want to ride one of those” having seen the bikes in the area.  This soon became “I must help out” as I realised what they actually did.  So since August 2009 I have been a volunteer to ride “that very bike” and provide the service that we do to the NHS and its patients.

What do you like most about volunteering for Freewheelers? Apart from the thrill of riding a motorbike it is the respect that drivers give you on the road.  On my own bike you are invisible to many drivers, but the marked “blood” bike stands out and people will help you on your way.  Most of the calls are of an urgent nature, so it’s great to know that I am doing something for someone somewhere and people will help you on your way when they see you.
As a bonus I get to travel down many different roads that I wouldn’t normally travel and its great to make a note of those twisty and challenging roads for a dry summers evening to have a bit of fun.

What do you least like about volunteering for Freewheelers? I hate rain when out on the bike.  This is mostly due to the reduced visibility from inside a helmet in the rain.  It is very important to take extra care on the road and jobs can become tiring very quickly in the wet.  Add to this a bit of wind and severe cold and I have to remind myself of a ride on a nice summers evening to compensate.

Tell us about something memorable about your work for Freewheelers? My first weekend on call was busy having persuaded another rider to give up his slot so that I could complete my first duty.  Over this “initiation” weekend I completed over 17 calls that took me over 600 miles reaching both ends of the patch.  This was a test of my commitment and geography skills.  No particular call is memorable as all calls have a moment of importance.  But it is reassuring to see patients that are very anxious to receive whatever we are asked to carry and know that it has made a difference.

Anything else you want to add? We can be out in virtually any weather and are usually transporting something that can’t wait, so be nice, let us past if you can, and if you see us out and about, give us a wave.

Who are you? I live in Nailsea & I work in banking as a systems manager. I have two children aged 14 & 9. Motorcycling is probably the next most important thing in my life after my children! I'm active in the Bristol Advanced Motorcyclists group for whom I have roles as Observer & Group Rides Co-ordinator.

How long have you been riding and what bike do you normally ride? I've been riding for 10 years now & my current bike is a Honda CBF1000 that I absolutely love. As an all round, do everything bike it's fantastic. My motorcycling started in 1999 with a 50cc Piaggio scooter that I bought as a cheap way of getting to work. I progressed to passing my test, buying a Yamaha Majesty 250 scooter, then a Suzuki Bandit 600 before my current bike. I passed my IAM test in 2003, became an Observer in 2005 & my biking interest has kept developing as time has passed.

What do you do for Freewheelers? I'm a rider on the North, aka Bristol rota. I also help out with fundraising when I can. I do admire the co-ordinators for being three times as likely to be waken up in the night & having little chance of sleeping whilst a rider is on the road - I haven't wanted to take the plunge & do that role yet.

How long have you been with Freewheelers and why did you join? I joined Freewheelers at the beginning of 2008. I found out about it from Freewheelers members in Bristol Advanced Motorcyclists. I saw it as an incredibly worthwhile cause & a means of giving my motorcycling skills towards real benefit. We all ride our bikes for fun but here was a way of riding a bike for fun & helping other people at the same time.

What do you like most about volunteering for Freewheelers? I get a buzz from riding those urgent calls where you get a real sense of being needed. These happen quite often, but I remember one weekend being called at 7am on both Saturday & Sunday morning to take a pathology sample from the Bristol Children's hospital to the path lab at Southmead. I kept thinking about the child in hospital & their anxious parents waiting for the test results. I also enjoy the late night & early hours calls because of the comparitively empty roads & also the sense that I'm delivering something that's really needed.

What do you least like about volunteering for Freewheelers? We do unfortunately receive a minority of calls that we shouldn't because there's no need for the job to be done that evening or that weekend. The co-ordinators are very good at filtering these out, but sometimes the reality of the job proves different to what the caller requested.

Tell us about something memorable about your work for Freewheelers? I was on call for the Easter weekend in 2008. After a busy Good Friday & Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday was quiet until midday. Then the co-ordinator rang & said 'I've got a little job for you, how would you like to go to Birmingham?'. So that was the next few hours taken care of!

Anything else you want to add? I'm very much enjoying my Freewheelers experience & I would recommend being involved to anyone, whether or not they're a rider.

Who are you? I am Andy Smith, I am married to Alison, we have two grown up children and we live in Peasedown St John, just south of Bath.

How long have you been riding and what bike do you normally ride? I wanted to start riding when I was seventeen, but despite the plans for financing a Yamaha RD250 in 1977, I never got round to it.  I started driving when I was seventeen and took my first IAM test in 1983, becoming an Observer for the Bath IAM Group in 1985.  I think this gave me a greater appreciation of Roadcraft which has been invaluable when on two wheels.  I first rode in October 1994, passing my CBT and I got my first bike, a Kawasaki GPz500S in January 1995.  I took some advanced training with Bristol IAM Group and did a course with Salisbury Plain Advanced Motorcyclists before joining my current club, Avon Advanced Motorcycle Club.  It was with AAMC that I took my first RoSPA test in 1999 and attained a Silver pass.  Subsequent tests (compulsory re-tests every three years) have seen me get Gold and Silver (Car) and I currently hold a Gold standard pass from 2008.  I replaced my GPz500S with a 1995 ZZR600 in 1998, I changed that for a 1998 ZX6R in April 2000 and then in 2001 I bought my first new machine, an Aprilia SL1000 Falco.  In 2007 I rode the Falco very little, but rode the Honda Pan European for Freewheelers more frequently and this made the Falco comparatively less comfortable to ride, so in March 2008 I changed my bike again to my current bike, an Aprilia Tuono 1000R.  I ride the Tuono for pleasure, to Freewheelers meetings and fundraisers and on Club rides with AAMC. I have covered some 8,000 miles on it in the last 18 months.

What do you do for Freewheelers? I am a rider on the East (Bath) bike covering the Hospitals around Bath, North Somerset, West Wiltshire and occasionally over to Bristol.  I also undertake duty as a Co-ordinator, so then I will receive all the calls from the NHS and will allocate jobs to the appropriate rider of the three duty bikes.  This job also involves a duty of care for the riders, knowing (roughly) where they all are and making sure that they are not on the road for long periods without some rest.  The last thing we want is to add to the burden of the NHS!  This duty of care extends to ensuring that all riders are safely home once they have completed their jobs.  I also attend as many of the Freewheelers fund-raising events as I can, as this is an important part of the commitment, without which we would not be able to continue.

How long have you been with Freewheelers and why did you join? I joined Freewheelers in October 2006 following an earlier approach in 2003 from Mike Cummins, one of the founder members of the Bath area.  I worked overseas for much of 2004 and so did not follow up Mike’s approach, but I did keep it in mind for later on.  In 2006, my parents pointed out an advertisement in the Bath Chronicle seeking new riders and there was also an article in TREADS, the newsletter of AAMC.  I thought that as there was obviously a demand for Bath riders, I’d send an e-mail to make enquiries to see if Freewheelers would have me.  I got a response within an hour or two and very soon had an appointment for an assessed ride.   My first duty was the week leading up to Christmas in 2006 and it was dark and wet with persistent freezing fog – not the best induction, but at least I knew how bad it could get!

What really made me consider joining is that I believe that motorcycling generally gets a bad press and so this is a way of presenting a very positive way in which Motorcyclists provide a valuable and potentially life-saving service to the whole community.

What do you like most about volunteering for Freewheelers? Having a really good purpose to ride for and the opportunity to ride throughout the year, which is very valuable in terms of forcing you to maintain your riding skills throughout the winter when it would be easier and more comfortable to choose not to venture out in the inclement conditions! It is also very rewarding when you hear from somebody who has benefited from the service that we provide and it’s a good feeling to know that you are helping others.

What do you least like about volunteering for Freewheelers? Being taken for granted – sometimes it feels that we are treated as just a messenger, not everyone realises that we are all volunteers and that we do this because we love riding and that we feel that this is a way in which we may contribute a valuable service to those that need it, when they need it. And…. waiting all evening for the phone to ring, deciding that it’s unlikely there will be a call so going to bed, only to be woken by the phone ringing about 20 minutes later when you are warm and comfortable!  Usually on a cold, wet, slippery, foggy winter’s night!!!

Tell us about something memorable about your work for Freewheelers? Two things.  My longest night of duty in May 2008 (after a day at work of course) which started at 19:00, involving my Daughter driving me to Weston Super Mare to collect the bike, then collecting a job from Weston General Hospital for delivery to Bristol Royal Infirmary, then collecting a Computer Disk from Southmead Hospital for delivery to Queen Anne’s Hospital in Birmingham.  I collected from Southmead at 22:30, delivered in Birmingham at just after midnight, (without the use of Sat-Nav and with a few de-tours in Birmingham I might add!).  I then headed back south, stopping for refreshment in the motorway services at about 01:30 and finally got home at about 02:45. The other was earlier this year when I arrived twice in the same evening at the Royal United Hospital and I was stopped by two different people and enviously asked exactly the same question….. "What do you have to do, to get a job like yours?"

Anything else you want to add? Just to say thank you to Alison, Kate and Daniel for indulging me to allow me to spend the time to be a Freewheeler, for the taxi service to allow me to collect and pass on the duty bike from other riders and to apologise for the lost sleep and broken nights when the phone rings.

Who are you? I live in North Bristol with my husband Martyn who is a co-ordinator for Freewheelers. By day I'm a management accountant for a comms company in Bristol city centre, by night I’m usually doing a bike related activity with Bristol Advanced motorcyclists whether, club nights, committee meeting, observing or just having fun on the ride outs.

How long have you been riding and what bike do you normally ride? I have been riding since I could cling on the back of my parents vespa scooter and never looked back since, had my own Puch wind up moped to get to school followed by a C50 step through for a few years before passing my motorcycle test in 1992 and becoming the owner of a brand new Honda CBF250N which I still own. Then in 2003 I passed my IAM test and treated myself to a Honda CBF600S which I am still riding today and is used for commuting, observing with the IAM and touring in Spain so it is a good all rounder. And still going strong some 48k miles later…good old Honda !

What do you do for Freewheelers? I am a volunteer rider on the North bike, I also co-ordinate which is a good way of learning where all the hospitals are across the patch and getting to know the riders. Recently I’ve been involved in fundraising as well which is a good opportunity to publicise the work we do.

How long have you been with Freewheelers and why did you join? I joined in 2008 after qualifying as an Observer and my advanced riding skills being ‘approved’ My reward was to become the first female rider for Freewheelers for a couple of months with others quickly following which is great for the group. Co-ordinating and fundraising are also really good ways of getting involved and challenging/developing your own skills - you don’t have to ride a bike to do either of these and you will always get a great sense of ‘doing something worthwhile’ My reason for joining Freewheelers was two-fold 
a) I always had a desire to be a motorcycle paramedic however things were not meant to be and the other option of being a first responder was not practical but I did want to do something that would fulfil these desires. 
b) Several members of both the Bristol and the Cheddar Valley advanced motorcyclists were riders for Freewheelers and seeing what they did, the benefits to the NHS and the fulfilment they got from volunteering made the decision easy and I’ve never looked back, even managed to get my husband involved on the co-ordinating and fundraising side.

What do you like most about volunteering for Freewheelers? It is primarily the feel good factor I get knowing that by giving up my time it has helped to save not only money for the NHS but also helped to keep operations working (through instrument deliveries), doctors ability to diagnosis (medical notes / blood sample deliveries) plus of course I get to ride a big powerful bike in full livery to aid my flow through traffic – bonus !

What do you least like about volunteering for Freewheelers? The anticipation of the phone ringing. Having given up evenings or a weekend to be on call I prefer to be out there riding or working out which rider needs to be where if co-ordinating all three bikes, rather than play a waiting game.

Tell us about something memorable about your work for Freewheelers? The surprise package…..despite asking for info about ‘packages’ being delivered you don’t always know what you will get. A box of saline solution turned out to be 20 bags of saline drips in a large cardboard box I had to lug down the hospital corridors and then strap carefully and securely to the bike. However other riders have been asked to carry a walking stick and recently a patient on a stretcher… of course being a bike we do turn down unreasonable requests ! I commute daily and filtering through traffic is often challenging but on several Freewheeler runs through similar roads you get this ‘unzipping’ sensation as the gap you have to filter through just widens on both sides as car drivers see the ‘Blood’ sign and move over in their lane to give you space. Thank you if you are one of them !

Anything else you want to add? If you don’t ride, or want to know more about Freewheelers’ operations, then volunteer to be a co-ordinator – you quickly get to know the common locations, and build up a rapport with the other riders so if you do decide to become a rider later on you know what to expect.

Who are you? I live in Cheddar with my wife and two teenage daughters. I'm a programme manager in IT, with a long background as a computer techie.

How long have you been riding and what bike do you normally ride? I started riding in October 2001, just prior to moving from Milton Keynes to Cheddar. I didn't want to commute from Cheddar into Bristol by car so I got a 125cc scooter. I passed my test (on the second go) in June 2002 and passed my IAM in late 2003. My main bike is a BMW R1150GS - the same big trail bike made popular by Charlie Boorman and Ewan McGregor when they did the "Long Way Round" expedition. Of course, I got mine before them! I also own a 1983 Honda CX500 which is fitted with a sidecar. This was the unfortunate result of browsing eBay after having a few beers and my wife still hasn't forgiven me.

What do you do for Freewheelers? I am a volunteer rider on the Somerset bike, I run the website and since July 2009 I am also the vice-chairman and a trustee of the charity. I tried being a coordinator but as my job involves using the telephone a lot I just didn't get on with having to use it so much outside of work.

How long have you been with Freewheelers and why did you join? I joined in 2005 when my dad was diagnosed with lymphoma and leukaemia, conditions which resulted in his untimely death in November 2006. During his treatment he received countless blood transfusions and underwent a large number of blood tests. I see my work for Freewheelers as a way of saying thankyou to the NHS for the work that they did.

What do you like most about volunteering for Freewheelers? I'd like to say it was the feeling of doing good for people and saving the NHS money, but in truth it's all about the bikes. I love them. Doing good, being part of a team that is helping people, all that is simply a bonus.

What do you least like about volunteering for Freewheelers? Tuesdays in February. A ride across the Somerset levels from Glastonbury to Taunton on a cold wet night really makes you question your sanity and commitment to the charity.

Tell us about something memorable about your work for Freewheelers? My first emergency was to take an x-ray from Weston-super-Mare A&E to Musgrove Park A&E in Taunton. I couldn't help noticing that the x-ray was of a 12 year old girl - similar to the age at that time of my eldest daughter. When I arrived at Musgrove I was flagged down outside A&E and directed to the Children's Ward which is right around the back of the hospital complex. Again, very unusually, I was met outside by a doctor who ripped the x-rays out of my hand and ran off. I was left to find someone to sign the receipt. I found a nurse who explained that the girl had been in an accident, had been admitted to Weston then transferred to Musgrove. The x-rays were needed because her condition had worsened and they wanted to compare them with the current x-rays to see what had changed. I never got to know what happened to that girl. We rarely do. My best job was a summer evening delivery from Taunton to Williton on the Somerset coast near Minehead. The road was empty and dry, the light was perfect and the whole ride felt like I was taking part in a video game. It doesn't get any better.

Anything else you want to add? In my day job I do a quite a lot of public speaking, sometimes to my peers (the scariest by far), as well as to strangers, or even to company vice presidents. If you are part of an organisation that would like a presentation on the work that we do then get in touch.