In 2024, the Trustees of the Mark Benevolent Fund proudly announced that a major donation was to be made available to once again support Blood Bike Groups across England and Wales. This significant grant reflects the MBF’s ongoing commitment to our Blood Bikes family and our continued partnership.
The initiative invited each Blood Bike group in England and Wales to submit an application for a grant of up to £25,000 to be used for capital expenditure such as a bike, car, equipment or facility improvements. The outcome was that all the groups have now benefited from that exercise with 19 bikes, 14 cars and 2 vans totalling £671,960.
This latest grant followed on from the Mark connections with the Bikes going back to 2017 and the MBF Charity Walk which raised £437,934. Several brethren from East Anglia took part in this walk around London, including Tim Ridley, Richard Pryor and myself. All Blood Bike groups at that time who applied for a grant, received a new vehicle and that was the start of our partnership with the Blood Bike groups. If you remember, there was a handover at the National Motorcycle Museum in August of that year, plus Norfolk Blood Bikes received a new car which was presented at Great Yarmouth Masonic Centre.
I was requested to attend the Celebration Day 2025 for the official recognition of this year’s Grant, which was held at Mark Masons Hall on 5th September, to represent the Province. Every single Blood Bike Group was in attendance along with a senior representative from each Mark Province. The day was a celebration of not only the handover of the grant, but also to get to know what the Blood Bike Groups actually achieve with their voluntary work. It is more that transporting blood from place to place. Baby milk transportation has increased over the past few years and also the need to move medical supplies from A to B. One added part of their portfolio is delivering medication and equipment to individuals who have just been discharged from hospital. This is being trialled in our region and it is hoped that the programme will allow hospitals to free up beds (bed blocking) and allow individuals to recover in their own surroundings. In all, a vast amount of work is undertaken by the Blood Bike groups which is carried out purely by voluntary staff.
The day was not only a chance to congratulate the groups on their community/NHS work, but also to say thank you to all the Mark Master Masons who have contributed to the Mark Benevolent Fund., which enabled the grant to be made. The representatives of each Mark Province took that message back with them.
The informal part of the day was meeting the representatives from the various areas, with our Mark Province being very well served by two groups- Suffolk/Cambs and Norfolk, both of which took the time to go into detail about the amount of “requests” received and how they actually organise compliance with those requests. Suffolk/Cambs have already received their new bike, with Deputy Provincial Grand Master Gary Allen, Assistant PGM David Good and Richard Pryor making the presentation. Norfolk Blood Bikes will soon receive their new car and the presentation is currently being arranged.
The day was hosted by the Grand Secretary and his support team, who clearly showed the Mark Degree at its best. A very good day and one that I am grateful to have been asked to attend.
