On a warm sunny 12th May afternoon whilst many were preparing to enjoy the ups and downs of the football premier league and IPL cricket match, swayamsevaks and sevikas from Sough’s Abhimanyu shakha and Sita Samiti shakha assembled to donate blood at the local donation venue. With support from family members and the children, 20 donors who had registered previously lined up at their allotted time and donated blood as part of the sewa activities of shakha.
Slough swayamsevaks and sevikas have been donating blood for the last 3-4 years and every year a number of new volunteers are encouraged to join blood donation drive. The extra effort by the karyakarta team and Sewa pramukh Suhas ji to promote the initiative resulted in the larger numbers registering and donating blood this year. Many of the donors were giving blood for the first time.
Sue Candie, the session sister for NHS Slough Blood donation team, commented, “There is an acute shortage of blood donors across BME donor group. It is absolutely great to see donations in large numbers from HSS volunteers and members of South Asian community in general as there is a shortage of these specialist blood types at the moment. We appreciate the efforts by HSS Slough to encourage large number of people to donate blood.”
Suhasji is encouraged by everyone’s support. “The support by swayamsevaks and sevikas and the community members has increased our confidence and we hope to do another Blood donation event in about six months time, this time with an increased target of donors. We welcome anyone to join us to donate blood.”
He continued, “Samuhik Blood donation inspires everyone and any anxieties or nerves quickly dissipate with the support of other swayamsevaks and sevikas. In addition such activities encourage Sanghathan and create good Sanskars in our children and youngsters.”
Sewa is a Sanskrit word and is embedded in the Dharmic traditions of India.
