MOTORCYCLE LAW SCOTLAND BACKS CHARITIES VITAL TO MOTORCYCLISTS’ EMERGENCY CARE

At Scottish Motorcycle Show, Ingliston, March 12-13, 2016

Motorcycle Law Scotland (MLS) is backing two charities that provide vital emergency services to motorcyclists injured on Scotland’s roads, at this year’s Scottish Motorcycle Show.

Motorcycle Law Scotland will be helping to raise funds for Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) and Blood Bikes Scotland over the two days of Scotland’s biggest motorcycling event (12-13 March, 2016), as they continue to highlight the need for greater awareness of the dangers to motorcyclists on the roads.

In 2014, 352 motorcyclists were either killed (30) or seriously injured (322) on Scotland’s roads[i]. In 2015, SCAA, which relies entirely on public donations to operate, was called out to 52 road traffic collisions of which over a third (18) involved motorcyclists.  

Blood Bikes Scotland is a voluntary organisation, which runs a free out-of-hours courier service for all the hospitals in the area, delivering life-saving blood products, tissue, vaccines and other essential medical items for those seriously ill and injured.

Personal Injury Solicitor, Brenda Mitchell, who has been a passionate motorcyclist since she was a teenager, set up MLS, a specialist legal service for motorcyclists, in 2010 having been involved in many battles on behalf of injured riders. She believes that the charitable services of both SCAA and Blood Bikes Scotland save the lives of many motorcyclists and bringing both to the Scottish Motorcycle Show will help raise awareness.

 She said:

“Most motorcyclists accept that motorcycling can be dangerous and take a responsible approach to the roads, but collisions and accidents do happen and it is important that there is a robust support structure around them. The first line of response is the emergency services and that’s why we are helping to promote and raise money for both Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance and Blood Bikes Scotland. They provide vital response services and should be congratulated and supported in all they do.”

Over the past 5 years Brenda has secured compensation for literally hundreds of motorcyclists in Scotland for their injuries, loss and damage to their bike. MLS supports advanced motorcycling training and raising money and awareness for SCAA and Blood Bikes Scotland through all its marketing channels.

David Craig of SCAA said:

“SCAA is delighted to be offered this opportunity by Motorcycle Law Scotland to exhibit with them at this year’s Scottish Motorcycle Show. SCAA is one of the frontline emergency services that attends to injured motorcyclists and transfers them to the most appropriate hospital for further care, if required. Since launching in May 2013, we have been generously supported by the motorcycle community and very much look forward to attending at Ingliston.”

Steven Quintus, Chairman of Blood Bikes Scotland added:

“Blood Bikes needs to raise as much funding as possible to keep the vehicles on the road. Nobody within the charity receives any payments other than for running costs incurred by the individual volunteers, so we need support from individuals to large corporate companies to help keep us riding. Being at the Motorcycle Show with MLS is great for us.

“Behind every call we receive there is a band of people involved in making it work, so we also need to hear from anybody that can volunteer as a rider, fund raiser or as a controller. This is a hugely valuable service as you never know when you might need us.”

Notes to Editors:

• Motorcycle Law Scotland is one of the brands operated by Road Traffic Accident Law Scotland (RTALS) LLP. The others are Cycle Law Scotland and now Pedestrian Law Scotland. RTALS LLP was set up in 2013 by Syd Smith of Thompsons and Brenda Mitchell. 
• Blood Bikes Scotland EVS is a self-funding charity operating under the charity No.SC042970 of the Scottish Charities commission and operates primarily within the Scottish Borders, Lothians and Fife to deliver urgent samples, medical supplies, patient records etc. on hi visibility motorcycles. It operates an out of hours’ service from 6.00pm to 6.00am Monday to Thursday and 6.00pm Friday night to 6.00am Monday morning giving a 24 hour coverage over the weekends and also 24 hours over Bank Holidays. Blood Bikes also covers daytime runs that are required and work with other Blood Bike Groups when a sample has to be transported to a different region not covered by Blood Bikes Scotland. This is all done free of charge. 

• Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance
  • o    SCAA’s Vision is to provide a long-term sustainable and scalable air ambulance capability to complement statutory resources across Scotland.
  • o    SCAA is a registered charity (SC041845) established in 2010 for: “The emergency relief of serious sickness and injury and the protection of human life by the provision of an air ambulance based in East Central Scotland”.
  • o    SCAA is Scotland’s only charity funded helicopter air ambulance - delivering frontline emergency care whenever and wherever required. Funded by the people of Scotland for the people of Scotland.
  • o    SCAA is dispatched by the Scottish Ambulance Service and operates across Scotland alongside their helicopters and planes based at Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen, to enable a more robust and extensive response to be made to more 999 calls.
  • o    SCAA takes expert paramedic care swiftly and directly to an incident and provides comfortable and rapid transport for patients to hospital.
  • o    SCAA launched with a Bolkow 105 in May 2013 and upgraded to an EC 135 in late 2015.
  • o    SCAA also operates a Rapid Response Vehicle for emergencies close to their Perth Airport base or when the aircraft is offline.
  • o    To date SCAA has responded to nearly 1000 emergency call outs.

10 March 2016

[i] http://www.transport.gov.scot/system/files/documents/statistics/Reported%20Road%20Casualties%20Scotland%202014%20-%20publication%20-%20Factsheet_0.pdf

Elizabeth Lambley, Indigo, 0131 554 1230

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