A team of dedicated volunteer doctors which carries out life-saving work in Cumbria has received a huge boost following a donation from freemasons in the county.
The BEEP Doctors (BASICS) Cumbria charity has been given £1,700, raised by the Beacon Lodge of Freemasons at Penrith, supplemented by the Cumberland and Westmorland Province’s Matching Fund.
Beep Doctors chair Dr Theo Weston said: “On behalf of the Beep Doctors, I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ for this amazing donation. It will greatly aid us in our quest to assist those who are sick or injured, throughout Cumbria.
“It costs more than £150,000 a year to keep our charity going and we rely solely on donations and fund-raising events, so this generous amount of money will make a huge difference to the people of Cumbria in need of emergency medical care.”
Cumbria’s BEEP Doctors provide enhanced pre-hospital emergency care. They work closely with the police and fire services, North West Ambulance Service, Great North Air Ambulance Service and North West Air Ambulance.
At incidents BEEP Doctors can carry out some surgical procedures, such as inserting chest drains; some can perform pre-hospital anaesthetics; and all are able to administer drugs that most road crew paramedics cannot, such as ketamine/fentanyl to give pain relief and allow fracture manipulation.
Many of the emergencies they attend are road traffic collisions, as well as incidents involving farms, pushbikes, horses and water.
In 2022 the BEEP Doctors (BASICS) Cumbria charity attended 262 incidents and members completed 1,656 volunteering hours.
Alex Parker, treasurer of the Beacon Lodge of Freemasons, put forward the proposal to give a donation to the BEEP Doctors.
He said: “I have always been aware of the good work that they do at serious road traffic accidents and other incidents and so felt it would be a really good charity to support.
“I understand Beep Doctors have recently expanded the number of their vehicles and realised that there are expenses which go with that.
“I also believed there was a strong chance they would receive some matching funding from the Cumberland and Westmorland Province, as they cover the whole of Cumbria. In addition, I attend the Birbeck Medical Group practice in Penrith where Dr Weston used to be a doctor.”
Mr Parker said in the past year the Beacon Lodge had given donations to Teddies for Loving Care – a masonic charity which ensures every young child who goes into an Accident & Emergency department receives a teddy bear to help comfort them – and Scarborough Court, an elderly persons’ home at Chester-le-Street. It had also financially supported the Cumberland and Westmorland Province’s Appeal for the Ukraine.
Anyone wishing to support the BEEP Doctors charity and donate can do so via its JustGiving link, its text to donate service (text BEEP to 70085 to donate £2 or BEEP to 70450 to donate £10) or by making a secure card payment over the telephone. Details of all the options can be found on its website at https://beepdoctors.co.uk/ways-to-donate/
Dr Weston added: “We are always looking for fundraising opportunities and welcome any ideas. The Beep Doctors are also happy to attend businesses, organisations and community groups to provide or refresh lifesaving skills. For more information people can email info@beepdoctors.co.uk.”
