Pub to celebrate 120th anniversary for charity

A Wolverhampton pub is set to celebrate its 120th anniversary with a charity day to raise money for a local blood bike group.

The Royal Oak in Chapel Ash has existed in its current building since 1906, which was built on the site of a pub that dates to 1841.

All of the money raised from the day will go to the Midlands Freewheelers Blood Bikers, who deliver emergency medical supplies across the region.

Terry Cole, a licensee of the pub whose wife's family have worked there for 20 years, who is also a dispatcher for the blood biking group, said: "The guys out riding take a lot of pride in knowing they've done a good job for people, especially when it's for sick children."

The pub is hosting a day of special events on Saturday 6 June, including a 120-mile motorcycle ride, 20-mile cycle, 12-mile walk, 12-hour darts tournament and a netball tournament, as well as live music and a party in the evening.

Several other staff at the pub also volunteer as riders and co-ordinators for the charity.

"On a six-hour shift, I take over the phones and receive calls from hospitals, hospices, care homes, doctor surgeries asking to transport medical supplies, including blood and breast milk," Cole said.

Riders will then transport the supplies across the region or link up with riders in other areas so it can be carried across the country.

"It takes £1,500 a week to run that fleet and it's all purely voluntary," he said.

One of the bikes used by the fleet for the last three years was bought by funds raised by the Royal Oak.

The charity day also hopes to celebrate the community that has supported the pub for so long.

Cole said the community around the pub was made stronger by the pandemic and that they had won several awards because of their support.

"It's our community that's put us where we are," he said.

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