Category: speaker meeting

Blood Bikes

At our last speaker meeting of 2025 on Friday 28 November, our speaker was Barry Foster from North West Blood Bikes, Lancs. and Lakes. Barry began his talk by showing us a brief film from the 1960s, when Margaret Ryerson and her husband first set up Blood Bikes. When it was first established all the volunteers used their own motor bikes and paid for their own petrol. From there blood bike centres were set up around the country.

North West Blood Bikes (NWBB) was first set up in May 2012 by four ex police motor bikers. To become a blood biker, you need to be an advanced motorcyclist/driver. You are assessed and re-assessed on a regular basis. Safety is paramount and if the weather is very bad they have two ‘blood cars’ available.

Barry’s role includes assessing new potential members, he is also the fleet manager for all their vehicles.

They transport various items for the NHS, such as blood, plasma, frozen breast milk, different bodily fluids etc. The volunteers are expected to do two shifts per month. The various shifts are Monday – Friday 7pm – 2am; Saturday – Sunday 7am – 2am and all Bank Holidays 7am – 2am.

Currently Barry’s team have 15 bikes in the fleet. They are mainly BMWs, which are very big and heavy bikes. However, they are presently looking at smaller bikes, which are less heavy, that will allow some men and women to ride more comfortably.

They have two new BMW 1300 RT bikes, which require the livery to be applied on them. They cost between £18,000 – £19,000 each with the stickers costing an additional £400. Barry says there is nothing better than riding a brand-new bike and contributing to a great cause. When the weather is very bad, they have two automatic Kia Seeds for them to use.

Despite the bikes being covered in yellow and reflective stickers, as well as having their lights on plus the words ‘Blood’ on the front of the bike, they are still not seen by other road users. Barry kindly requested that when we see a big yellow bike in our car mirrors, that we make room for them to pass, making their imperative journey a little easier.

There are times when they meet another blood biker from a different area at a motorway service station, when samples or blood is exchanged. This allows blood etc. to be transported from one end of the country to another, at no cost whatsoever to the NHS. This saves thousands of pounds each year. Since their inception in May 2012, NWBB have completed 150,000 runs.

They have a large team, which includes controllers, bikers, car drivers, fundraisers. Without these Blood Bikers the NHS, may not at times, be able to complete the work they do.

Barry said that they have received much thanks and appreciation for the work they do, from patients, their families and NHS staff.

Many thanks to Barry who gave us a very interesting talk.

If you are interested in joining SoFA please contact us using our Contact Form.

SoFA AGM 2024 and Local National Trust Update

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The SoFA AGM 2024 was held on Friday 26 April at our usual venue of Christ Church Southport.

It was well attended by members, the Chairperson Frank Hyland supplied those in attendance with what SoFA has achieved during the last 12 months, including how much our Association had donated to Formby Point, Rufford Old Hall and Speke Hall. Members of the committee were elected and several members of the committee received long service awards. Once the SoFA AGM 2024 was completed we were supplied with updates from three local National Trust staff.

The first update was given my Lorraine from Speke Hall, who informed us what a success the second hand book shop is by raising thousands of pounds since 2021. Many thousands of visitors attended Speke Hall and the Beatles home during the last 12 months. They have renovated the billiard room; it is now in similar colours as it was in the 1920s. They have used the funds we supplied to replace blinds that allows enough light in so visitors can see the items clearly but also protects the textiles from harmful light. Lorraine shared a message from Simon Osborne thanking SoFA for their donations and support, which allows them the opportunity to carry on renovations at Speke Hall.

We then had an update from Mel who supplied an update about Rufford Old Hall. The last 12 months has been a challenging year for them. The bay window project has now been completed and the final checks have been implemented. An unexpected cost arose due to having to have a new boiler installed, this keeps the house to a appropriate temperature for the contents and comfortable for the visitors who use their café. David, the head gardener, is working on re-installing the cottage garden. This will take time to do, but it will be well worth it in the end. The recent donation that SoFA supplied is to be used to purchase new picnic benches. We were updated by Mel who said a new supplier has now been located as the benches have to be suitable to wheelchair users and be movable. They will let us know when they have been received. Mel thanked the SoFA members for their donations and the support we give them, it is very much appreciated. They could not do what they do without our continued support.

Kate supplied us with updates about several sites that the National Trust has in our location. The boardwalk was damaged at Formby Point during the latest storms. These now need to be repaired and will need to be kept closed until they are safe for the public to use. They have been informed that there could well be a lot more damage that will not appear until the repairs begin. Kate went on the supply us with some information about Manor Hall Farm, Holcombe Moor in the west Pennines, as well as the Lunt Project. Kate let us all know that they cannot do what they do without the support of SoFA and really appreciate the close connection SoFA has with the local National Trust properties.

If you are interested in joining SoFA please contact us using our Contact Form.

Confessions of a Probation Officer – Ray O’Brien

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On Friday 27th November, 78 members were entertained by Ray O’Brien a retired Probation Officer. Ray recounted that at the beginning of his training to become a Probation Officer the trainees were sent out in pairs to various venues in Liverpool. One of the places was Yate’s Wine Lodge, where the trainees were to people watch for three hours and later write a report. The whole point of the exercise was to highlight how no two people see a situation in exactly the same way.

Toxteth was Ray’s first posting, he was reassured by Senior Officers that people in the area were friendly and as long as you accepted their offers of cups of tea you couldn’t really go wrong. On one occasion after accepting umpteenth cuppa that day Ray watched as the man went into the kitchen. He took a mug out of the cupboard, put his hand in the mug and withdrew a set of false teeth then proceeded to make Ray’s tea and top it up with sterilised milk. All part of the Probation Officers experience! Ray said those first 6 years in Toxteth were his happiest.

Ray went on to work in Walton prison ‘The Big House’ as most of the criminal fraternity refer to it. The prison had a dedicated Nun, Sister Marina who regularly visited. Ray said the Sister was the most respected person in the prison, all inmates and staff revered her. Ray also met Paul O’Grady when Paul was a young trainee in the Magisterial Service – how life changed for Paul eventually taking him on the route to stardom.

Ray, an avid Liverpool supporter, was once attending in Court and the Chairman of the Bench happened to be Billy Liddell his footballing hero. On leaving the court Ray found Billy in the car park locked out of his car. The RAC arrived but were unable to help. Eventually a police officer arrived handcuffed to a youth that Billy had earlier ‘sent down’ for numerous car thefts. The boy gained access to Billy’s car within minutes and of course Billy ended up thanking the youth for his help. Ray was very disappointed because he was hoping to run Billy home to get his spare key!

The Star that ‘got away’ was of course Ken Dodd. He was found not guilty of tax fraud by a jury not of Liverpudlians, but made up of people from Manchester and Preston. The prison staff had a cell ready for Doddy following the Judge’s directive to find him guilty. There was a Diddy man and a banner saying ‘tax free zone’

Ray took early retirement nearly 30 years ago when cuts were made to the Justice System. He was not unhappy to be retiring. When Ray began work as a Probation Officer he estimated he spent 80% of his time face to face with clients and 20% on paper work. When he retired it was 20% face to face and 80% on clerical work.
An excellent presentation.

If you are interested in any of our events or wish to join our Association please fill out our Contact Form.
Article provided by Carol Hitchmough, with thanks.

SoFA’s AGM 2023

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On Friday 28 April SoFA’s AGM 2023 was held at Christ Church, Southport. The Chairman welcomed 70 members and thanked them for their enthusiastic support throughout 2022. During 2022 and early 2023 meetings, outings and holidays went as planned after a delayed start.

The new venue at Christ Church is proving a very popular change, especially as members are able to enjoy a light lunch at Café 1821, prior to the meetings. Lois, our Speaker Secretary, provided a varied mix of speakers to entertain at our meetings and together with Roberta, our secretary, the website has been well managed and received many visits.

The Officers required under the Constitution were duly elected for 2023. Members received updates from several National Trust representatives. A newly installed second-hand bookshop is proving very popular at Rufford Old Hall. Formby staff collaborated with local schools and an artist to produce ECO messages and an art exhibition at an event in the Workshop, Formby, partly funded by SoFA.

Further projects involving schools are planned. Chairman, Frank Hyland, commented that it was important for the Association to support young people and families in Trust related activities.

We were also informed about ‘Formbee’ Honey. This is an unrefined honey which is made by bees that take the pollen from the various plants at Formby site. This is a very clever play on words.

SoFA’s AGM 2023 was our last meeting before the Summer break. However, there are monthly outings arranged for the summer as well as the SoFA holiday to Lincolnshire and a lunch at the Old Links Golf Club.

Full details are in our latest membership magazine. If you are interested in joining SoFA please contact us using our Contact Form.

Article Supplied by Frank Hyland – Many Thanks

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Our guest speaker on Friday 24^th March was Pete Turner, a professional magician for the past 26 years. A man still clearly in love with his job.

On his visit last year Pete entertained us with table magic during a celebratory lunch where he demonstrated some of his intriguing magic tricks. Pete’s talk in March was Heads I win Tails you lose and he talked about the psychology of magic and the probability of predicting the correct playing card chosen and held by a volunteer. The magician relies on probability, so has to be aware of the odds of his prediction being correct. The mathematics involved in the prediction are very complex. Pete is very fortunate to have a brother who has been able to work out the odds of the various tricks working out the way Pete had hoped.

We were astonished when, after a large number of audience members stood up, as requested by Pete were gradually eliminated. The last standing was handed a piece of paper on which Pete had earlier written the prediction that he would be the last man standing. The pre written paper had described in detail, the clothing that the man would be wearing.

Pete left his audience with a piece of advice, if you have to toss a coin at any time, use a Euro, because they don’t have ‘heads’.Thus you will always be the winner.

As always Pete left his audience entertained, baffled and bewildered, in equal measure.

If you are not a member but are interested in our events or in joining our Association, please complete our Contact Form.

Article provided by Edwina Alcock. Photographs by John Hitchmough, with thanks.

Stately Homes of Liverpool – Ken Pye

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Ken Pye, a historian of all things Liverpool has given several presentations to our Society. In his talk on 24th February Ken described the history of some of the Stately Homes of Liverpool, the aristocrats who once owned much of the Liverpool and Merseyside area and some who still do! In particular, he talked about those great houses that still survive and are accessible to the public.

Ken described the history of Knowsley Hall, Speke Hall and Croxteth Hall and we were all amazed and intrigued by some of the revelations surrounding these grand houses. Ken’s light hearted delivery conveyed his affection for Liverpool and its inhabitants. A most interesting and entertaining talk.

For more information about Ken Pye and his talks, please see his website.

If you are not a member but are interested in our events or in joining our Association, please complete our contact form.

Blood Bikes

SoFA AGM 2024 and Local National Trust Update

Confessions of a Probation Officer – Ray O’Brien

SoFA’s AGM 2023

Stately Homes of Liverpool – Ken Pye

Upcoming Events

Brian Topping – Tales of a Customs Officer

SoFA Annual General Meeting

Lyme Hall, Gardens and Deer Park

Tatton Park

Holiday to Harrogate

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