LOCAL COMMUNITY EVENTS 2008

Kidney Research UK will be holding a series of local awareness and education events across the country:

• Free blood pressure tests for anyone interested in ensuring their kidney health at the Kidney Research UK shop in Kings Heath, Birmingham.`
• Special World Kidney Day themed awareness events at Queensgate Centre in Peterborough, and Tesco stores around the country - in Brighouse, Chorley, Bathgate, Cumbernauld, Oban, Hucknall, Yarm and Edgbaston.
• To get the World Kidney Day message out to as many people as possible, they will be giving out awareness leaflets at the following mainline train stations: London Waterloo, Birmingham New Street and Edinburgh Waverley.
• Marple Business Forum will be holding an event just after World Kidney Day, on March 15th. They have organised a blood pressure testing event at the Boots store in Marple. The Marple Lions will be holding a tombola in aid of World Kidney Day and Kidney Research UK, using toys donated by Wyevale Garden Centre, Marple.
• They will be testing the blood pressure of staff at Hounslow Homes, West London and making them aware of the steps they can take to protect their kidney health.
• The staff in Debenhams Glasgow are supporting World Kidney Day by wearing Kidney Research UK T shirts and the staff at Ace Insurance in Glasgow are supporting World Kidney Day by wearing purple!

Swansea NHS Trust in association with Boots the Chemist will be holding health awareness events in more than a dozen stores across Swansea and West Wales.

Apart from sharing information on kidney disease, they will be offering free health checks including blood pressure and urinalysis, inviting people to register as a kidney donor and launching of the World Kidney Day Balloons at their Hospital Premises and in Town Centre.

The East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust Renal team are planning various activities to help raise awareness of CKD in Kent.

On Wednesday ^12th March there will be a display in the outpatient area to promote living donation, healthy eating (the perils of salt!) and general information about CKD.

On Thursday ^13th March 150 balloons will be released from each of the renal satellite units at 12 midday in Ashford, Dover, Margate, Gillingham and Maidstone and 300 from the centre unit at Canterbury. This synchronised balloon release will help to raise funds for the Kent Kidney Patient Association (KKPA) and a representative from the KKPA will be at each site to release the balloons, along with patients and staff, and the local press.

World Kidney Day celebrations at the Southend University Hospital will coincide with the official opening of their new renal unit. There will be a balloon release, a seminar and various other activities.

Walsgrave Hospital Kidney Patients Association are holding a balloon launch at University Hospital, Walsgrave, Coventry. They will also be distributing leaflets about World Kidney Day and about the association.

The Lincolnshire Kidney Patients Association have organised a balloon release at the Lincoln Renal Unit in the grounds of Lincoln County Hospital on March 13th WKD.

South East Scotland Kidney Patients Association will be holding an awareness stand in the New Edinburgh Royal Infirmary's new Patient Information Centre. There will be display banners and some posters to advertise WKD plus lots of leaflets, booklets, books and DVD's for the public to take.

St James’s Hospital, Leeds have planned a balloon launch from Leeds Utd Football Club at 2pm and have arranged for their Patron Christine Talbot from YTV to get down with a camera crew along with a few players.

Aintree Kidney Patients Association is having a stand in the Aintree Hospital main reception area.

Tyneside Kidney Patients Association is hoping to have a balloon launch at Newcastle Civic Centre with the Lord Mayor present.

Salford Royal Hospital Trust, in association with Hope Hospital KPA, has circulated the attached newsletter to all local PCTs, GPs surgeries, renal units, KPA members, and others.