A Burton upon Trent-based manufacturer has funded a new emergency response vehicle for a regional healthcare charity as part of its long-running community investment programme.
Russell Roof Tiles has donated £18,000 to Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire Blood Bikes, enabling the volunteer service to replace an ageing motorcycle with a new BMW ‘blood bike’, now named ‘Russell RT’ in recognition of the firm’s support.
The contribution forms part of more than a decade of backing from the roofing manufacturer, which has raised £71,000 for the charity since 2016. Previous fundraising has also funded two additional bikes, ‘Bundy’ and ‘Brewer’.
The blood bike service delivers urgent medical supplies including blood products and breast milk to hospitals free of charge, helping NHS trusts avoid courier costs of up to £300 per journey. The organisation is not government funded and relies on donations to operate.
Andrew Hayward, managing director of Russell Roof Tiles, said: “Having supported Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire Blood Bikes for some time, it’s a charity that is incredibly close to us that does so much for the local community.
“It’s an honour to have the bike named after us and it’s fantastic to be recognised for the support we have provided to its team over the years. We are all looking forward to the bike getting on the road and helping those in need.”
The firm’s wider Give4Good initiative, launched in 2021, has now raised more than £275,000 for causes linked to its sites through activities including a charity skydive, golf days and a Race Across Europe challenge.
Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire Blood Bikes operates a fleet of 18 motorcycles and four cars, with 210 volunteers completing 7,744 jobs and travelling more than 335,000 miles in 2025. The charity says regular fleet investment is essential to maintain reliability and meet growing demand from hospitals across the region.
Chairman Jeremy Cartwright said: “The team at Russell Roof Tiles have been our loyal supporters for several years and their incredible efforts have made it possible for us to buy three bikes, Brewer, Bundy and Russel RT.
“Our fleet of motorcycles cover over 330,000 miles each year, so we need to replace them regularly to ensure safety and reliability and meet the growing demand from the hospitals we serve across Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Cheshire. We’re incredibly grateful to Russell Roof Tiles for its help in making this happen.”
