FLESHANDBLOOD IS A CAMPAIGN TO MOBILISE THE PEOPLE AND RESOURCES OF THE CHURCH TO HELP INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BLOOD AND ORGAN DONORS; A CALL TO RECOGNISE A NEED AND RESPOND WITH AN ACT OF GENEROSITY.
THE STORY
With a concept and model developed by UK based agency KORE, fleshandblood was initially founded in 2012 as a partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant, the UK's special health authority responsible for saving and improving lives through its national blood and organ donation programmes.
At the time of launch, 96% of the UK depended on the other 4% to give blood and only 31% of the population were registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Faith groups, in particular the UK Church, were identified as a key demographic to engage with and champion donation.
An estimated 10% of the UK regularly attends a church with the majority of churchgoers sharing in a rich tradition of giving and practising a rhythm of generosity as an expression of their faith. The campaign aimed to raise the profile of donation within the church and encourage donation as a personal gift. It sought to equip individuals and churches as advocates for donation helping them engage with their family, friends and community.
fleshandblood became the first national campaign to jointly promote blood and organ donation in the UK and the first national partnership between the UK Church and the NHS. The campaign model positioned Kore as a broker and intermediary between the NHS and national, denominational bodies that represented the Church. These bodies were in turn resourced and equipped via a media and information hub with additional customised marketing and communications specific to their audience. Encouraged to take ownership of the idea, each of these campaign associates were then responsible for their own communications direct to their audiences and communities, supported by Kore and NHS Blood and Transplant.
National Church associates participating in the 2013/2014 UK campaign included The Church of England, The Salvation Army, The United Reformed Church, The Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Catholic Archbishops Council of England and Wales, The Methodist Church, The Church in Wales, The Church of Scotland, The Seventh Day Adventist Church, The Evangelical Alliance and Hope Together. In addition there was further focus given to and work alongside Jesus House and the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
Our hope was that the church could make a significant impact to the lives of many and help to support the work of the NHS in caring for our communities. Between 2013 and 2014, this approach saw more than 50,000 local church leaders directly informed and resourced via their denominations, leading to a double digit increase in churchgoers who say they give blood and are registered on the NHS Organ Donor Register. 71% of UK churchgoers now report to seeing blood and organ donation as a part of their Christian giving or are open to the idea, with a corresponding 77% increase in churches mentioning blood donation and a 96% increase in mentioning organ donation over two years. With strategic presence at christian festivals, fleshandblood recorded the most successful blood and organ donor recruitment drives in the history of the NHS, with a height of one new donor registered every 96 seconds over a seven hour period.
In 2015, the fleshandblood model was replicated, tailored and launched across all of Ireland, marking the first cross-border partnership between public health providers and churches for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The primary Church associates participating in Ireland were the Church of Ireland, Catholic Church in Ireland and Methodist Church in Ireland.
This space now acts as a legacy website, with relevant background information and housing historic media and resources from the original 2013/14 campaign, ideal for any individuals or local churches looking for ideas and resources on the topics of blood and organ donation.
Kore & NHSBT form partnership
fleshandblood UK campaign launches
Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby meets with NHSBT
Revd Dr Rowan Williams releases poem in support of the campaign
Launch of the FAB Church Challenge, recognising official 'donor churches'
World's 1st giftwrapped cathedral, in Carlisle, for fleshandblood
Catholic and Anglican Archbishops of Ireland dedicate their Christmas Day TV broadcast to the campaign
fleshandblood launches across All-Ireland with dignitaries attending events in Armagh & Dublin
“fleshandblood is an exciting opportunity for the church. Christians have a mandate to heal, motivated by compassion, mercy, knowledge and ability. Extending our understanding of the central Christian themes of generosity and stewardship to include blood and organ donation has the potential to tangibly transform the giver and the receiver. The benefit to others is not only life enhancing but can mean the difference between life and death.”
“I am really heartened to hear of the fleshandblood campaign, promoting organ and blood donation within faith communities. Faith groups can make a difference in their communities by working together for the common good and tackling shared social problems and this campaign is an ideal opportunity for them to do just that. It is therefore my hope that through the fleshandblood campaign, faith groups are able to donate and encourage wider support from within and around their communities.”
“On behalf of NHS Blood and Transplant I’d like to thank the churches for their support, for making donation important in their communities and for the hope this will bring to all those who depend on our life saving work. ”
“The challenge of the fleshandblood campaign, to see blood and organ donation as a part of our giving within the Church, is one I encourage us all to consider; that we might mirror God’s perfect gift to us in His Son by giving the gift of life ourselves.”
IDEAS
nine simple ideas for individuals and churches wanting to explore or support blood and organ donation as a part of their giving.
Featured
REGISTER
Begin your journey by registering as a blood donor or joining the organ donor register
england
SCOTLAND
WALES
NORTHERN IRELAND
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
RESOURCES
MEDIA AND RESOURCES TO HELP EQUIP AND INSPIRE THOSE EXPLORING BLOOD AND ORGAN DONATION AS A PART OF THEIR GIVING.
STORIES
NINE POWERFUL stories from individuals whose lives have been impacted and transformed by blood and organ donation
CONTACT
UK & Ireland
If you're from the UK or Ireland and wish to begin or continue supporting blood and organ donation within your church, please feel free to use the ideas and resources found here.
All UK & Ireland fleshandblood campaign associates now have direct working relationships with the relevant health services as part of the campaign's long term legacy and any denomination specific queries can be directed to the appropriate national bodies.
OTHER TERRITORIES
If you represent a health service provider, international donor agency or church denomination/national body and wish to explore the potential outworking of the fleshandblood campaign model in your country or region please get in touch using the contact form.