Twelve Babies On A Bike

One District Nurse, Dozens of Families, and a Community Full of Heart

Twelve Babies on a Bike by Dot May Dunn, published by Orion Books in 2010, is a charming and deeply touching memoir that brings to life the highs and lows of working as a district nurse in 1950s Birmingham. With humour, compassion, and a keen eye for everyday heroism, Dunn paints a vivid portrait of a time when care was personal and community meant everything.

Armed with little more than a bicycle, a medical bag, and a fierce dedication to her patients, Dot navigates the cobbled streets and cramped back-to-backs of post-war Britain. From helping new mothers and delivering babies to comforting the sick and elderly, each call is a window into a different world—some joyful, some heartbreaking, all unforgettable.

Balancing the challenges of long hours, unpredictable emergencies, and the occasional stubborn patient, Dot’s candid and heartwarming tales celebrate the resilience of working-class families and the vital role of the NHS in its early days.

Twelve Babies on a Bike is a delightful read for fans of true-life nursing stories, offering a blend of nostalgia, grit, and genuine warmth that lingers long after the final page.