Blood Bikes Wales celebrates new ‘Carina’ motorcycle, courtesy of Toyota Trust

Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust recently celebrated the company’s 30th anniversary of manufacturing in Deeside and Derbyshire with an extra special donation, providing Blood Bikes Wales with £15,000 to purchase a new motorcycle.

Blood Bikes Wales, part of the nationwide Association of Blood Bikes, has named their new motorcycle ‘Carina,’ after the first car produced at Toyota’s Burnaston production line 30 years ago.

Blood Bikes Wales offers a professional rapid response medical transport service to the NHS, free of charge.

The organisation’s members transport blood, platelets, samples, surgical instruments, human donor milk, and many other clinical products across Wales.

All riders are volunteers, working to professional standards and providing the service without cost to the NHS.

Tim Freeman, Trustee for the Charitable Trust and Deputy Managing Director at Toyota Manufacturing UK, said, “It is an honour and a privilege to be able to support the crucial work that Blood Bikes Wales do in our local community, and we hope that ‘Carina’ will prove a valued addition.”

Chris Jones of Blood Bikes Wales expressed gratitude for the donation, stating, “This bike will allow the North East Wales group (Wrexham) to continue to serve the NHS in the area.”

“Without this very kind donation from the Toyota Manufacturing UK Charitable Trust, we would struggle to maintain the level of service we strive to offer. In the short time we have had the motorcycle, it has already covered 2,500 miles.”

Since its establishment in 2008, the Toyota Charitable Trust has raised over £7 million to support communities local to the two manufacturing plants in Flintshire and Derbyshire.

The trust makes donations annually, with the next application period for community grants opening in October 2023.

More information can be found on their website: https://www.toyotauk.com/the-toyota-charitable-trust/