Highland firm Morgan Sindall steps up for blood campaign

Could your company help save lives?

Inverness Donor Centre, based at Raigmore Hospital, needs new donors and is actively seeking to welcome employees from local companies as part of its corporate blood donation programme.

Patrick Johnson of construction company Morgan Sindall is one of those who is more than happy to help.

“My wife relied on transfusions after the birth of our twin girls who are now 20,” he said.

“When something like that happens, it really brings it home to you how life can change in an instant and how you could be the one needing help rather than the one providing it.

“We just all need to do our bit to make sure it’s there for us and for our own if it’s ever needed.”

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He added: “Many of my workmates have been regular attendees at the donor centre for some years now.

“For many of the group having started out as new donors, it was easier for them to come along as part of the group for a bit of moral support.

“We set up a group chat in the office that gets updated every so often and it’s enough of a reminder to prompt us to book our appointments and get along to do our bit.

“It feels really fantastic knowing that collectively our donations have made such a difference to so many patients over the years.”

On his most recent visit to the donor centre Mr Johnson was an even more welcome sight than usual.

“The staff at the donor centre are great and I always get a warm welcome when I arrive, but this week I received an especially warm welcome,” he said.

“Perhaps the boxes of donuts I took along for the team had something to do with it?”

His own donation to the hard-working donor staff was part of Morgan Sindall’s worker appreciation day held as part of its corporate kindness month.

“It’s an initiative where we try to do as much good as we can and give back to the wider community,” Mr Johnson explained.

“One of my twin daughters now works for a local café so I thought it’d be a nice touch to bring along some of their baking for the team to try out.”

The team at Inverness blood donor centre - and across the Highlands and Moray - would love to invite more organisations to get involved, and help you organise workforce donation sessions at the donor centre.

Each donation can help save or improve the lives of up to three people in Scotland. This means that together, your group or company could make a massive contribution to NHS Scotland.

Highland News and Media wants to bring 5000 people from across the Highlands and Moray in to give blood between now and Easter.

Join our campaign to give blood and save lives. Book an appointment to give blood at www.scotblood.co.uk or call 0345 90 90 999 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).

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