It started with a ‘tweet’

Robertson Construction ‘Go Pink’ to support Organ Donation Week

Over 500 Robertson Construction employees are going pink in support of the NHS Organ Donation week campaign - Monday 26th September to Sunday 2nd October.

Robertson is supporting the campaign following a tweet from Beatrix, a patient at The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle who complimented the site team working at the hospital on their work and friendly manner.

Beatrix, who is not yet two, is awaiting a heart transplant, and her family, along with others at the hospital, are working hard to raise awareness of organ donation and child organ donation. There are currently over 10,000 people in need of life saving organs.

"Comments like those made by Beatrix and her family about our team are greatly appreciated" explains Robertson Group, Chief Executive, Elliot Robertson.

"We decided to support Organ Donation Week to say thanks for taking the time to acknowledge our teams and the work that they are doing, and to help Beatrix and her family to raise awareness of Organ Donation. The best way for us to do that, was to 'go pink' for the week with our employees across our NHS contracts in specially branded pink high viz vests. Our region in the North West were so touched by Beatrix story that all of their projects are going pink for the week."

NHS Organ Donation Week encourages discussions around organ donation and raises awareness of the register which can help save or transform lives.

Terry Archbold, Beatrix's father, said: "In the months we have been at the Freeman Hospital with Bea we have seen the Robertson team on a daily basis. They are always cheerful, friendly and have made a real effort to put a smile on Bea's face whenever she sees them. Those little touches mean a great deal and it is lovely to see Bea waving through the window at the crew and to see their responses. We are deeply touched by the efforts of Robertson to help raise awareness of organ donation for all the children and adults waiting, those efforts genuinely could trigger a life-saving seed of thought."

The 500 Robertson employees will be wearing the pink high viz at locations across the UK including: The Freeman Hospital, Newcastle; Alnwick Infirmary, Alnwick ; Wansbeck Hospital, Ashington; Eldon Court Nurses Training Facility, Newcastle ; RVI Hospital, Newcastle; Western General Hospital, Edinburgh; St John's Hospital, Livingston;Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh; Leighton Hospital, Leighton; Jubilee Centre, Bolton; Tatton Gardens, Chorley; Holiday Inn, Blackpool; Vision Tameside, Manchester; and Omega South, Warrington. The vests have been kindly donated by Robertson Supply Chain partner Bunzl Greenham who were keen to be involved when they heard about the initiative to help raise awareness.

Elliot Robertson, continued: "One of the key things for us as a business is to leave a positive impact in the communities and areas where we work, we are hopeful that having our teams 'Go Pink' will help to raise awareness and show Beatrix just how much those kind words meant."

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for NHS Blood and Transplant said: "It's brilliant to see the Robertson team show their support for Organ Donation Week. The modern organ donor card is pink and showing their support in this way on their building sites will certainly get conversations going. We need people across the country to not only talk to their families about organ donation, but to register their decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register. This could be the difference between life and death for up to nine people who are waiting."

You can see more about Beatrix and our supporting Organ Donation Week here: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/health/beatrix-freeman-organ-donation-robertson-25115026

To find out more or to register your organ donation decision, visit: www.organdonation.nhs.uk or call 0300 123 23 23. Users of the NHS app, can also use this to check, amend or register their decision."