The Blood Taking Team have come up with a great range of activities to support the Diamond Jubilee Appeal – the most popular of which is ‘Fill our Pee Pots with 5ps’ – the team are handing out sample pots to people visiting the unit at St Cross and are inviting them to collect 5p pieces in the pots, or any spice jars or other collecting tins that they have at home, and to pour them into the collecting cylinders in the Blood Taking Department or Out-Patients the next time they come to the hospital.
The team is pictured with Anthony Newman who has been a Friends Volunteer for 20 years and is also a member of Rugby Theatre and who has made a significant contribution to the Appeal.
Anthony said “I made a donation to the Appeal because I owe a very large debt of gratitude to the NHS. In 1979 the wonderful consultants at the Paybody Hospital saved my sight. My left retina had detached and my right one was starting to do the same. Thanks to the prompt, expert treatment and their continued care over the years, I can still see. If other people who have benefited from excellent treatment gave something, no matter how small, the new purpose built blood taking unit will start to benefit thousands of local people.”
The team have had lots of other ideas for fundraising. They would like to run a dog show – if we can find a suitable venue!? They have also offered to run all sorts of activities at bazaars such as Face Painting for children (and adults if requested), Second hand book stall, Cake stall, Hook a duck, Tombola, Craft stall, Curry Stall or Name the cuddly toy!
Michelle Giles, Senior Phlebotomist from the Coventry and Warwickshire Pathology Service, who is based at St Cross, said "The entire team is delighted and feels privileged that the Friends of St Cross (winners of the Queen’s Award and Pride of Rugby Award) has chosen to celebrate their Diamond Jubilee by launching a £60,000 fund raising initiative to provide a new purpose built blood taking clinic for the Hospital of St Cross site in Rugby. We are confident that this will significantly improve the patient experience in the clinic and would like to take this opportunity to thank the Friends for thinking of us and our patients in their 60th year of fundraising."