North Harbour Rugby Clubs Get Supporters’ Blood Rushing

A new competition is giving North Harbour Rugby Clubs the chance to show which one gets their supporters’ blood rushing the most. It kicks off on Saturday 27 March alongside North Harbour’s Premier Club Season Opener.

The North Harbour Rugby Union and the New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) have once again joined forces, and are asking as many North Harbour Rugby Club supporters and players as possible to give blood during the Club season.

“With each donation of blood saving up to three lives, the blood donations of our Club Rugby supporters will make an enormous difference for a lot of families,” says Buck Shelford, the recently announced President of the North Harbour Rugby Union.

When people in the North Harbour area donate blood, they can declare their support for one of North Harbour’s 12 Rugby Clubs. Each week a tally will be published, letting the public know how many lives each Club has saved that week.

Craig Dowd, the QBE Insurance North Harbour Head Coach says the partnership with NZBS is mutually beneficial.

“Grassroots rugby supporters are the lifeblood of New Zealand rugby. This is a great way for the Clubs to support a good cause, and possibly win some great prizes for their Club.”

At the end of the season, the Club that has got their supporters’ blood pumping most will win a huge rugby related prize package. There are also significant prizes for Clubs who come in second and third place.

Just some of the prizes in this year’s package include:

• Tickets to QBE Insurance North Harbour’s home Air New Zealand Cup matches
• Transport to the Air New Zealand Cup games from your Club  
• Training gear
• 2 x training/ scrum machines
• Tackle bags
• Rugby balls

Marketing Manager of the New Zealand Blood Service Paul Hayes says he is looking forward to this year’s Club Competition, not only on the pitch, but also in the NZBS donation centres.

“The North Harbour region represents a big opportunity for us to build donor numbers. There is a huge amount of potential here.

“We hope that this year, the players and supporters will be just as passionate about giving blood as they are about their rugby,” he says.

Each Club will have its own special day to donate at the North Shore Donor Centre. This is one, 3 hour session during the season for each Club to book out the Donor Centre at 441 Lake Road, Takapuna with 20 donors.

“Outside of that Club Day, you can donate at all three Auckland Donor Centres or mobile centres around the Union,” says Mr Hayes.

“People can tell us which Club they support and every donation will be counted.”
Call 0800 448 325 or visit www.nzblood.co.nz for more information.

ENDS

For further information, interview opportunities and photos from Saturday’s event, please contact:
Jane Dodd - Network PR
Ph: (09) 306 5804
Mob: 021 470 446
Email: jane.dodd@networkpr.com

For further information regarding the New Zealand Blood Service contact:
Paul Hayes, Marketing Manager - NZ Blood Service
Ph: 09 523 2866
Mob: 0275 650 556
Email: paul.hayes@nzblood.co.nz

Club Donor Days 2010
Club Day
12noon to 3pm
Takapuna 12 April
Massey  19 April
North Shore 26 April
Northcote 3 May
Kumeu 10 May
Helensville 17 May
Navy 24 May
East Coast Bays 31 May
Mahurangi 9 June
Silverdale 14 June
Marist 21 June
Glenfield 28 June

Outside of club days you can donate at all three donor centers around Auckland and every donation will be counted against your Club.

Visit www.nzblood.co.nz for information on your nearest blood donor centre.