Baker & Partners coordinates BVI Blood Drive Program at Peebles Hospital

Baker & Partners, a local litigation law firm, is coordinating a new monthly BVI blood donation program to address the chronic shortage of emergency blood supplies at Peebles Hospital.

Blood bags in the BVI blood bank at Peebles Hospital have a 41-day shelf life, after which time they must be destroyed. This short shelf life has led to a chronic supply shortage on island with a constant requirement to import blood from abroad, particularly in respect of O+ and O- blood types.

Spearheading this initiative, Eltin Ryle, Counsel at Baker & Partners, has experienced first-hand the blood supply shortages.

Eltin commented:

“When my son was born in March 2025 at Peebles, my wife had to avail of emergency blood supplies flown in from Puerto Rico due to blood shortages on island at the time. We had not previously understood the extent of the shortage of emergency blood supplies in the BVI. The requirement for a lasting solution was immediately obvious. My employer, local litigation law firm Baker & Partners, were very supportive of launching a community program to address the issue. We reached out to International Motors and Riteway who immediately offered steadfast support to the initiative. Together, we will work to help increase community awareness around this very important issue, and to make a meaningful contribution toward saving lives in the BVI.”

The program aims to provide a regular, continuous supply of blood donations. On the last Friday of each month, team members from International Motors, Riteway and Baker & Partners will gather to donate blood at the Peebles Hospital blood bank.

Baker & Partners’ Partner Shaun Reardon-John commented:

“Baker & Partners is proud to launch this 6-month pilot program on Friday 29 May with an aim to expanding the program into a long-term self-sustaining community initiative. By moving away from “crisis-mode” blood donations toward a sustainable monthly model, we hope to ensure that Peebles Hospital has the resources it needs before an emergency occurs.”

Baker & Partners’ social impact programs across Jersey, the Cayman Islands and the BVI focus on creating meaningful partnerships that contribute to sustainable change.