About Us
Dorset Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service is a registered charity, which provides an out of hour’s emergency motorcycle service to hospitals in the Dorset area.
The Dorset Freewheelers EVS, a registered charity (no. 1118142) was set up in 2005 to benefit patients of local health authorities. We are one of a number of groups set up around the country.
Our service is provided free of charge, and is funded by public donation or sponsorship. Using especially adapted motorcycles we can carry urgently needed blood samples, biopsies, MRI scans and x-rays, prescription drugs, and a variety of other medical equipment.
Freewheelers is run entirely by volunteers. All our staff are unpaid, who give up their time both freely and generously to run the service.
Do we transport donor organs?
Whilst we are willing to carry most items that will fit on a motorcycle, we do not transport larger quantities of blood or donor organs as these require specialist containers.
How does the service work?
Although all our runs provide a direct benefit to the patient, we are initially called out by the hospital staff.
Our trained ‘on call’ rider then responds to 3 categories of ‘shout’, with the urgency of each case being determined by the patient needs, i.e.:
Cat 1- Very Urgent, requiring an emergency response.
Cat 2- Urgent, requiring immediate action but not an emergency.
Cat 3- ASAP, not urgent, but requiring action in the next few hours.
As we are a voluntary organisation, riders are NOT paid for their time.
The only payment they receive is the thanks for a job well done and that is enough, even when riding in the worst of the weather regardless of the time or date
Volunteers Required
The Freewheelers service is expanding in the Bournemouth/Poole area and we are looking for additional volunteers to help. We are particularly looking for experienced bike riders and fundraisers. However, anyone who feels they may be able to help, either financially through donations or sponsorship, or by other means, should get in touch.