Golfers raise £10,000 for Blood Bikes Charity
Makers Construction were headline sponsors at the Blood Bikes Charity Golf Day held at Branston Golf & Country Club. The Blood Bikes Charity is this year’s Captains Charity that Paul Richins and Beverley Doughty have chosen in their hopes to raise £24,000 for the purchase of 2 brand new fully kitted Blood Bikes.
The Derbyshire Blood Bikes belong to the NABB, The National Association of Blood Bikes which has 35 member groups consisting of 4810 volunteers across the UK. Each group is a registered charity and work across several NHS providers within their designated area. This Volunteer organization transport vital blood products and surgical instruments free of charge between NHS facilities saving vital time and cost with required operations. In 2023 the Blood Bikes carried out 151,734 individual runs carrying vital supplies for the NHS UK wide.
A Blood Bike rider first and foremost must have a passion for motorbikes. The bikes are shared and so riders are responsible for getting the bikes to the next volunteer. The minimum requirement is an advanced rider qualification. Riders are on standby for 12 hour shifts usually working from 19.00 on Friday until 07.00 Monday avoiding the expensive use of couriers, taxis etc. to transport vital products quickly at quieter times. The NABB mission is to keep funds at the sharp end treating patients and patient care not on the delivery of vital blood products providing their service free of charge.
This year’s Charity golf organiser was Issy Bryon a Branston Golf member. Issy organised an event last year as part of her degree studies in golf and the day was such a success that this year’s Captains had no hesitation in approaching her to arrange the day. There may have also been the added advantage that her partner is no other than Sam Horsfield LIV Tour player and member of the Majestics Team headed by Ian Poulter. Issy “bumped” into Sam during her volunteer work on a tour event during her studies and the rest is history, she was also instrumental in Sam’s win on tour at the Belgium Open whereby Sam’s caddy was unavailable and Issy caddied the whole event, so she reckons he owes her!!
Understandably Issy used her contacts to obtain some very exclusive auction items form fellow LIV Tour Players including Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson who provided signed autographed Masters flags and Tommy Fleetwood kindly provided his tour png tat used in this year’s PGA tournament.
As well as the auction an extensive raffle was available including expert lessons from tour putting gurus to the stars, together with copious alcoholic options, but a round of golf with Sam Horsfield and 2 additional players at his and the LIV Tours new headquarters in the UK the famous JCB in Staffordshire raised a serious amount of money.
“I have been a member at Branston nearly as long as I have been at Makers, and being my home club it’s always great to help where possible and for such a worthy cause, as Headline Sponsor, we felt we had an obligation to create a tour feel for the players as they entered the course and of course the requisite hole sponsorship and prizes…”
Simon Lamb MD Makers Construction
A shotgun start commenced proceedings with 26 teams of 4 competing on a stable ford basis with 2 scores to count on each hole with the exception of holes 9 & 18 with all four players scores to count on the long testing Championship course. The stable ford format allowed for the occasional hiccup but with fierce competition from mixed and single gender teams meant competition was fierce for the top 5 spots!
The outright winners with 96 points winning by a single point each received the latest in Scotty Cameron Putting Technology and remained close right down to 5th Place with a team sponsored by Makers who picked up new Galvin Green Umbrellas and half a dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls.
The prize presentation was followed by a course meal and a fast-paced auction and comedy entertainment by Johny Awesome who with his musical skits and audience participation had the room laughing embarrassing a number of members with his audience participation sketches and musical interludes.
The money raised on the day was just shy of £10,000 and the Captains have a number of events planned throughout the year to get to their desired total.
“We are delighted to have contributed to the day and on behalf of Makers to everyone involved we offer our congratulations and in particular to Sam and Issy who gave up their time out of their busy schedule to visit our club and particularly the personal contribution from Sam who auctioned himself out on the day and showing us how a golf ball should actually be hit, and finally to both Captains wishing them every success for the 2024 season…”
Simon Lamb MD Makers Construction.