The team has been part of the Blood Donors Dunedin Centre "Red Team" programme for several years, regularly giving whole blood and plasma, and saving hundreds of lives in the process.
MTF PR and communications manager Kate Roff said there were 18 members of the "Red Team" who had given a total of 166 donations and were estimated to have saved 394 lives in the process.
"Our team are very happy to come and give blood — it aligns strongly with our values of working for our community," Ms Roff said.
"And the Blood Donors team make it easy and simple for us.
"From a personal perspective, I have had family members who have needed blood in the past, so to me it is a no-brainer."
MTF team member and blood donor Narelle Jakeway said she had given blood regularly as a teenager, but then stopped, and had only recently re-started when she joined MTF.
"It is a fairly easy process, and has gone really well for me each time," Ms Jakeway said.
"My feeling is, if you are able and willing to donate blood or plasma, then you definitely should."
Blood Donors Dunedin Centre donor relations co-ordinator Linda Burt said the "Team Red" programme was a way for local firms, organisations and sports groups to come together and make a positive impact in the community.
"It’s great to have those committed groups coming in to us — they make a vital contribution.
‘It really helps us to meet our weekly target of collecting 220 units of plasma and 180 unit of whole blood to meet growing hospital demand," Miss Burt said.
"There is no alternative to blood — blood donors save lives."
The Blood Donors Centre at 170 Crawford St (between Resene and Guthrie Bowron) was always in need of willing donors of both plasma and whole blood.
At present, only about 4% of eligible people are donors in New Zealand.
According to NZBlood statistics, 30,000 patients are treated with blood/products in New Zealand each year, including children, pregnant women, bone surgery patients, people with liver, kidney and heart disease, accident and trauma patients, cancer patients and more.
"Demand for plasma products is increasing every year, and in the next 12 months New Zealand will need 4000 new donors to meet demand," she said.
Regarded as "liquid gold", with up to 11 life-saving treatments able to be created from each plasma donation, plasma is used to help patients with autoimmune disorders, blood clotting disorders and transplant procedures and for severe bleeding.
For more information, or to book in to make a donation, phone 0800 448 325, or visit nzblood.co.nz
