Life-saving blood service in search for city base

The New Zealand Blood Service needs a new venue in Rotorua. Photo / File

It does the crucial job of collecting blood for those who need it but now the New Zealand Blood Service needs a helping hand - finding a Rotorua home.

Donor recruiter Jan Johnston said they were desperately looking for a place they could move to from July, when the Soundshell became unavailable to the service.

The service comes to Rotorua for two days a month - a Wednesday afternoon/evening and Thursday morning - to collect blood from donors.

Mrs Johnston said because of the work they did they had some fairly strict requirements for a location, including somewhere with good lighting, warm, with decent parking and access for equipment.

She said it needed to be somewhere reasonably large and preferably a single room so nurses could see everyone.

"Somewhere like a church, community or school hall would be ideal."

Mrs Johnston said they did not want to change the days they came to Rotorua, as that would affect the wider scheduling in other centres and create a "logistical nightmare".

She did not want to contemplate what would happen if they did not find somewhere soon.

"We will just have to find somewhere, no two ways about it. We would rather do it sooner for ease of donors knowing where we are going to be. We want to make sure we're not putting them out and we don't want to keep mucking them around."

Mrs Johnston said they had been busy checking out suggested facilities but were interested in hearing from anyone.

She said they were a not-for-profit organisation but could pay if need be.

Mrs Johnston can be contacted on (07) 839 9630.