A delivery of donor breast milk reached Chester by air for the first time last week, involving volunteer pilots and Merseyside and Cheshire Blood Bikes.

When fellow volunteers at SERV Wessex were unable to transport donated breast milk to the Countess of Chester Hospital by road, they enlisted help from Civil Air Support.

On Friday 10 April, the charity arranged for the milk to be flown into Hawarden Airport, where a rider from Merseyside and Cheshire Blood Bikes collected it airside and completed the final leg of the journey to Chester's milk bank.

Formed in 2012, Merseyside and Cheshire Blood Bikes is a volunteer-run service providing free transport of urgent medical supplies - including blood, donor breast milk and medications - between hospitals and hospices across the North West.

The group operates daily using trained riders, helping the NHS cut transport costs and redirect funds into patient care.

Stuart Willis, who completed the airfield run for the group, described the experience as "highly rewarding".

"It's very special knowing that what you're transporting on that bike is going to make a difference to somebody's life," he told Nub News. "We rarely see the patient, but we know what we're carrying makes a difference."

He received the call while working in his other role as an operator, marking his first job as a rider outside the control room.

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"I do two main roles within the group," he said. "I'm an operator, so normally I take calls in from hospitals and other blood bike groups.

"I recently qualified as a rider as well, so it also means I can go out on the bikes and do the actual jobs."

Stuart explained that donor breast milk is transported frozen and must be delivered within strict time limits.

"It was a case of getting it there as soon and as safely as I could," he said.

Revealing how unusual the use of aircraft was for the group, Stuart added: "The donated breast milk is something we do day in, day out, but the plane bit was a first for us. We've never had that before."

Once arrangements were made, he revealed how the airfield was highly supportive, even waiving landing fees for the aircraft.

Highlighting the efficiency of the delivery, he said: "If it was done by road, it would have taken about four motorbikes and about five hours. Whereas with the plane it only took an hour."

Merseyside and Cheshire Blood Bikes are always on the lookout for volunteers, whether as riders, operators or fundraisers. 

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