Cash donation for life-saving bloodrunners in Kent

Volunteers who transport blood throughout the county to help save lives are being supported with a £3,000 cash donation from Kent Police.

The Service by Emergency Response Volunteers (SERV) was set up in the early 80s and its volunteers have been operating in Kent since 1993. There are now around 160 people in the county, aged between 21 and 83, who are giving up their free time to make these critical journeys.

Transporting blood, medicine and breast milk

The drivers and riders transport blood every night, along with other much-needed items including medicines, equipment and donated breast milk, to hospitals and hospices around the county. They also work with children's hospices to deliver medical supplies to the parents of poorly children.

Unclaimed lost property

The money donated by Kent Police has been raised through the sale of unclaimed lost property seized during police operations. This money is shared out regularly to worthwhile charities and individuals, such as SERV, who support the people of Kent.

Trevor Sayer, Events and Fundraising Coordinator at SERV, said: ‘The Covid-19 pandemic has meant we’ve been unable to raise money through local events and our teams are working around the clock to provide additional support to the NHS by delivering other items needed during this extraordinary time.

‘We are enormously grateful for this donation as it will really help us to continue to cover the costs we face including the maintenance of our vehicles. We, like many other charities, rely on the generosity of others in order to keep offering our services.

‘As part of our work we also deliver blood to the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex every other night, which is another charity that relies on donations. This means they can continue to ensure Kent residents receive the highest quality of trauma care possible.’

Chief Inspector Ray Quiller of Kent Police said: ‘It is a pleasure to donate this money to such a deserving charity, whose volunteers go out of their way to help people on a daily basis. Many of them have full times jobs and are still prepared to go out in the middle of the night and transport important supplies for people who are in need of it.

‘These services are needed now, more than ever, and we hope this money supports the volunteers in continuing such critical work.’