Portrait of a Volunteer Emergency Rider
sue side
David
Graphite, 2020
Creating a portrait which reflects the character of the individual is always a challenge I relish – creating one for this particular project, even more so.
Portraits of NHS Key Workers started off as an online post by Oxford artist Tom Croft, and has led to thousands of artists giving away free portraits to front-line workers around the world. Tom was a little surprised at how quickly this project rustled to life but has supported and shared the work of thousands of artists throughout lockdown. Thank you Tom for giving artists a brilliant way to give our thanks.
My portrait is of David Williams
He is a volunteer motorcycle rider, car driver, controller and occasional fundraiser for SERVOBN: Service by Emergency Rider Volunteers for Ox Bucks Berks and Northants. The charity raises all funds to maintain the service and relies on an amazing group of people, David being one, to deliver such things as blood, platelets and bone marrow samples to where they are most needed 365 days a year.
He modestly fails to mention he is also a full time Head of Science and a stone sculptor when he talks about his evening call outs. Offering a vital service, SERVOBN has been on call 24/7 throughout the pandemic, servicing hospitals and care homes across the region.
Qualified as an advanced motorcyclist, David can face long nights on one of the charity’s specially converted Yamaha FJR 1300 motorbike, sometimes linking up with other regional groups to get vital samples to where they are most needed. His longest night took him from his home just outside Oxford to Stoke Mandeville near Aylesbury to collect a sample. This he then took to The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. That was just the beginning! He then went to Swindon to collect a sample from a Bristol group rider before taking it on to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London…then…. finally, back home.
His quiet commitment, indeed that of all SERV riders, to helping others whilst doing a full time job is more than worth shouting about. I hope my portrait does a little of that.
The portrait itself set me a few new challenges – minimal hair, glasses, fluorescent biker strips and a badge!
I hope David is happy with it and that all those providing this amazing service know how much we appreciate them.
You can get a taste of other amazing portraits by using the hashtag #portraitsfornhsheros on social media platforms.
Do have a look at my other portraits on my website and, of course,
don’t forget to check out David’s stone work on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/david_williams_stonework/