The Beep Fund Ltd, which has been running since 1994, has undergone a transformation, with new branding, improved marketing and social media.
The charity now covers a wider geographic area across Cumbria and has more volunteer doctors. To mark its 25th anniversary, it is on the lookout for volunteers to help spread the word about the charity now and in the future.
When the charity began, only doctors from the Birbeck Medical Group, Penrith, were involved and they covered a fifteen-mile radius of Penrith. Now there are 10 volunteer doctors on the team who cover most of Cumbria, including the north and west of the county as well as south west Scotland and occasionally south Lakeland.
The Beep Doctors are all unpaid and are on call 24/7. They attend serious incidents in the county including road traffic collisions, farming accidents or other life-threatening medical emergencies, as well as major Incidents.
Paramedics are very well trained and able to deal with the vast majority of emergencies that they are called to. However, there are some critical medical interventions they are not able to perform, and having a consultant level doctor at the scene of an incident means more advanced procedures can be accomplished, and a casualty stabilised before they are transported to hospital. Over the years, the Beep team have saved numerous lives and have become an integral part of the emergency services.
To mark the 25-year milestone, the Beep Fund has had a makeover. This includes a refreshed, more modern logo, creation of social media pages and a new website coming soon. Beep’s supporters will be attending more events across the county this year to raise awareness of the vital work of the charity. As part of the new initiative, they are looking for more volunteers to join the team to attend events and help with fundraising efforts.
Dr Theo Weston MBE, who launched the initiative, commented: “We are so proud of how far the charity has come, but we’re moving into a new era with more doctors giving up their time to be on call attending emergencies and covering a wider geographic area in Cumbria. Our new look reflects the changes we have made in the charity, but now it is time to shout about what we do. Not only will this help raise awareness of the Beep Fund Ltd, but also help us raise vital funds to sustain the charity in the future.”
Everyone who is part of the Beep Fund is unpaid, but there are ongoing costs for continuous doctor training, the updating of protective clothing and medical equipment, and maintaining the specialist vehicle. It is essential that the charity continues to raise funds to support this.
As part of their renewed marketing efforts, the Beep Fund doctors, trustees and other supporters will be attending several events across Cumbria; however, they are on the lookout for more volunteers to help them.
“We are only a small team, but we cover a large area, so we are reaching out to anyone who has some spare time that could help us attend events across the county, organise fundraising events for us or become an advocate for what we do. We’re looking for people from all across Cumbria to be part of the team,” said Dr Weston
If you live in Workington, Carlisle, Longtown, Brampton or anywhere in North Cumbria, get in touch with the Beep Fund on beepfund@gmail.com to find out more about how you can be part of the team and help raise awareness of this lifesaving charity.
