Kyrenia – That was a Red

weekend that was!

By Peter Toms

Friday the 6th of February was National Heart Foundation Day in the UK and BRS Blood awareness weekend in Kyrenia, hosted by Cafe George and organised by the Lady and Lad in Red.

There were 100 Red Heart shaped balloons together with Cafe George/BRS Gift of Life banners hanging in the breeze awaiting the arrival of Jamie the Man in Black to entertain and get us in a party mood.

Saturday the 7th February at 10am the first BRS Blood Donor day of 2015 began at Girne Hospital with a flurry of loyal donors keen to give their Gift of Blood arriving to be greeted by Pru Lundie of BRS and her team of volunteers and Sister Lena and the Girne Hospital Doctors and they continued taking Blood Gifts until 1pm when nearly 10 times more Blood was given than in December 2014 which will surely increase as the BRS awareness campaign gains momentum throughout 2015.

A suggestion by BRS Chairman David Brown to hold coffee mornings where Members could be informed of BRS negotiations and further events and Blood Donor dates is a great idea and hopefully will become a regular event..

After tea and biscuits The Lady and Lad in Red escorted donors to Cafe George where George had promised a free drink and all donors who were given a Red Heart shaped balloon in thanks for their Blood Gift. In the afternoon again to the music of Jamie the Man in Black people were dancing in the street to his sing along music and tourists stopped to take photos of Cafe George staff keeping customers happy with food and beverages.

Our party swelled as Football supporters arrived to support Arsenal v Spurs and Liverpool v Everton and later the Rugby fans arrived to watch France beat Scotland in the Six Nations match (what a great day).

Sunday the 8th February (Hey Guys you have run off with all our balloons ) the Lady and Lad in Red arrived with their 4 dogs dressed also in Red who become the show stoppers for the tourist cameras.

Thanks to George at Cafe George and his staff, Jamie the entertainer and all those who came to the party and would you guys please bring the balloons back on the 23rd of April for the St George’s Day celebrations at Cafe George.