Our new Tauranga donor centre is open

Monday 8 April 2024 marks the opening of our new Tauranga Donor Centre, situated at Level 1, 93 Cameron Road.

This $2.4-million, state-of-the-art donor centre has been purpose built for New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) to help meet future growing demand for blood and plasma, and to better suit the needs of the Bay of Plenty donor community.

It replaces NZBS’ previous home of the last 17 years located at 154/168 Cameron Road.

While Bay of Plenty currently has an active donor panel of almost 5000 donors, NZBS needs an additional 2,000 donors by the end of June to join its donor whanau to keep pace with demand for local blood and blood products.  

Every week 290 donation are needed in Tauranga.

We hope that the opening of our new donor centre will encourage more people in the region to roll up their sleeves and donate – especially since it’s approximately 10 minutes’ walking distance from Tauranga CBD.

This 850sqm facility will increase the number of donor beds from nine to 15.

And, as part of this move, NZBS will start using its new plasma donation machines – known as the Aurora – on the donor floor. These state-of-the-art machines streamline the donation process for donors making it more comfortable, easier and a little faster.

For donors’ convenience, there are also 15 basement carparks. Access to this carpark is via a laneway off Hamilton Street. 

This green star building is co-tenanted alongside Manawa Energy, which will take up residence on Level 2 and 3. 

An opening ceremony, jointly held by NZBS and Manawa Energy, included a blessing led by local hapu Ngāi Tamarāwaho.

There were speeches by NZBS Chief Executive Sam Cliffe and donor Rata Campbell, who spoke about the importance of donating after her now five-year-old son Isaac need four blood transfusions when he was diagnosed with leukaemia as a toddler in 2020.

Special guests included some of Tauranga’s most prolific donors and NZBS’ Tauranga staff.