New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) is temporarily closing four of its regional blood collections centres over the Christmas holiday period for six business days. Dunedin, Palmerston North, Hamilton and Tauranga Donor Centres will close from Monday 24th December and will reopen Monday 7th January 2019.

NZBS’s larger donor centres in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland (Epsom, Manukau and North Shore) will remain open for whole blood donations, platelet apheresis and a small number of plasma collects throughout the holidays, excluding statutory holidays and weekends.

“We are encouraging all of our donors who will be in Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland over the holiday period to book an appointment and donate whole blood. The need for blood is constant and our donors are very generous with their time, particularly during the busy holiday period. For those of you who have never donated blood before, it is a great time of year to start a positive new habit!” says National Manager Marketing and Communications, Asuka Burge.

NZBS works hard 365 days a year to balance supply and demand and is one of the few organisations that traditionally stays open across the country over the holiday period. The closure of the four smaller donor centres for six business days will allow NZBS to test its continuity planning in the event of natural disaster or other emergency and very importantly, provide an opportunity for some of the Service’s hard-working collection teams to have an extended Christmas break with family and friends.

From Monday 7th January it will be business as usual across all nine of our donor centres, and we will be welcoming all new donors and our wonderful returning regular donors who are keen to start the New Year with a lifesaving donation at their local donor centre.