The United Synagogue

US Blood Donor Campaign Widens Following Huge Success

PRESS RELEASE

London,
12th February 2009


US BLOOD DONOR CAMPAIGN WIDENS FOLLOWING HUGE SUCCESS


Due to the huge success of the United Synagogue's blood donor campaign, Project Chesed, the joint initiative of the United Synagogue and the London School of Jewish Studies, is expanding the number of sessions taking place in the community. The first new session will take place next Sunday at Cockfosters and N. Southgate United Synagogue.

The 'Give Blood' campaign, which was launched at Rosh Hashanah in partnership with the National Blood Service, saw well over 500 people attend sessions in Hendon, Borehamwood and Northwood Synagogues, with a significant donor increase each time of 20%, far exceeding the National Blood Service's target.

Now Project Chesed is hoping to secure many new donors as more local communities get involved, with Cockfosters and N. Southgate Synagogue's session taking place on 22 February from 9:30am to 12:30pm and 2pm to 4:30pm. The blood donor session is being supported by six other communities including Muswell Hill, Woodside Park, Palmers Green and Hadley Wood, as well as Wolfson Hillel Primary School. It will be followed by two further sessions in Cockfosters later in the year and another eight donor sessions in the pipeline for other US communities.

Jon Barron, Chairman of CNSS said "We're thrilled that Cockfosters is hosting such a vital event and enabling our members to conveniently donate. We hope this will become a regular event in the shul's calendar. Whatever the economic climate, the blood bank is always worthy of your deposit. A pint of blood is a small donation to give but a monumental gift of life for somebody to receive."

Rabbi Fine of Cockfosters and N. Southgate Synagogue, commented: "Donating blood is far from simple and is an opportunity to gain eternal reward for saving human life. I commend Project Chesed for this magnificent initiative."

Candice Woolfson, Project Chesed's Director at the United Synagogue commented: "It is so important to give blood and with less than 5% of the UK population donating regularly, giving blood quite literally saves lives. By establishing the session at Cockfosters shul, we've made it more convenient for many of our members to donate and we hope they'll support us and help us achieve our goal of significantly increasing the number of blood donors from the Jewish community."


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