A department store in the heart of Dorchester has raised thousands of pounds for a life-saving service.

Goulds Department Stores, located on South Street, has raised an impressive £3,730 for its chosen charity of the year, Devon Freewheelers.

Devon Freewheelers is a team of 50 plus volunteer emergency vehicle drivers, dedicated to providing a weekday out-of-hours service and 24/7 weekend service supporting the NHS in delivering essential blood, samples, medication and donor breast milk to hospitals throughout Devon, Dorset and the wider south west.

The charity launched last year and the charity's annual budget is £150,000, which is essential in maintaining the fleet of 11 bikes and two emergency all-terrain vehicles to the highest possible standards.

The service sees volunteer riders and drivers from Devon Freewheelers’ emergency response team dropping off blood to Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance’s operations centre at Henstridge Airfield every other day.

The blood will then be available for air ambulance paramedics to administer blood when they arrive at the scene of an emergency.

The Devon Freewheelers’ blood bikes will also available to deliver an emergency response to replenish stocks if more blood is required by the aircrews at any time.

The Devon Freewheelers started carrying blood for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance on April 26 2016.

The money raised by Goulds will cover the cost of the fuel for a year, for the car used to deliver blood to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance every 48 hours, previously collected from Dorset County Hospital.

Staff have raised funds by organising raffles, tuck shops and, most memorably, a 14 mile walk from Dorchester to Weymouth, where the Garden Centre is situated, with 18 members of staff taking part.

Customers have also been generous with their donations throughout the year.

Caroline Retter, fundraising co-ordinator for Devon Freewheelers said: "The money raised has literally helped to save lives.

"Congratulations and well done from everyone at Devon Freewheelers."

Deborah Barden, part of Goulds joint consultative committee added: "We are really pleased, especially since no one had heard of this life-saving service two months before we adopted the Freewheelers ‘Blood to Helimed’.

"We are very proud of how the staff and customers have pulled together not only to raise funds but additionally to raise the profile of this incredible charity.”

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