Continental Tyres Ireland and Blood Bikes Leinster are marking ten years of working together, with the tyre company continuing to supply free tyres for the charity's support vehicles.
Blood Bikes Leinster is run entirely by volunteers who collect and deliver urgent medical supplies when regular services are off the clock. They transport things like blood, cancer medication and donated breast milk between hospitals and labs, and often do so late at night and in all kinds of weather. The service operates on a not-for-profit basis and helps free up ambulances and Garda vehicles for emergency use.
The charity's volunteers travel up to 70,000 kilometres a year, and the tyre donation scheme allows them to keep their cars and vans safely on the road without draining limited resources. Continental has been supplying tyres throughout the partnership, including its all-season models designed to handle Ireland's unpredictable weather.
Tom Dennigan, Head of Continental Tyres Ireland, said, “Volunteers are the heartbeat of Blood Bikes. They give their time freely, often in challenging weather, to deliver a truly life saving service. We're honoured to mark 10 years of support for them with tyres they can depend on.”
The most recent delivery of tyres was fitted to one of the charity's Skoda support vehicles and is expected to last another 60,000 kilometres. According to the charity, dependable tyres are a safety-critical part of its operations, especially given the high mileage and time-sensitive nature of the trips.
Fergus Lennon, Regional Coordinator of Blood Bike Leinster, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating 10 years of partnership with Tom and the Continental Tyres Ireland team. Without the support of companies like Continental, we would not be able to operate, it's as simple as that. And thanks to the tyre support partnership, we are able to meet our safety commitments to our volunteers. It is a key priority in everything we do and when you consider the mileage that our volunteers put up each year, it is comforting to know that they are on safe, premium tyres that will help to get them to their destination safely and on time”.