Queen’s Jubilee birthday honours: Herts and Beds Blood bikers get volunteer award

The volunteers provide the service for the NHS 24/7

A group of bikers which delivers blood, medical samples and breast milk for the NHS has been honoured with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

Serv Herts and Beds is part of a nationwide voluntary organisation that provides the transport service free of charge, 24 hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year.

The group has about 120 volunteers.

Secretary Andy Cowley said it was "a real privilege" and "an honour" to be selected for the award.

The group will receive the award at a ceremony in September.

Andy Cowley said everyone involved was "very, very pleased" to be honoured by the Queen in her jubilee year

The volunteers use their own bikes, fuel and insurance to carry out the deliveries across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

The volunteers mostly deliver blood and breast milk but can also carry prescriptions and test samples.

Ian Hunt, chairman of the group, said: "We will get calls saying 'we have a patient who is on the operating table, he is open and we need to get him something'."

He said the bikers were all "very passionate" about serving the community and helping the NHS.

"The other day we took milk to a woman whose premature baby had just come out of an operation and needed donor milk to survive," Mr Hunt said.

Kerry-Anne Cornell said the group's work was "invaluable"

Kerry-Anne Cornell, who provides breast milk for babies in need, said it was "absolutely amazing" for the group to be honoured.

"The work they do is just invaluable," she said.

"They're giving up their own time, getting milk where it needs to be.

"I can't put in to words what that means to us and other families."