What’s happening?
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is launching a new Pop-up Donor Centre in Cleveland, operating for the first time from 11 to 17 August at the Comfort Hotel Pacific. This removable facility offers greater donation capacity than older Mobile Donor Units and will return to Cleveland from 15 to 22 September.
In addition, the Pop-up will visit YMCA Victoria Point from 22 September to 3 October, giving more Redlands locals the chance to donate blood closer to home.
Why it matters
This new Pop-up model allows Lifeblood to reach areas with limited access to fixed donor centres. It means more appointment slots, longer opening hours, and monthly visits—removing many of the common barriers for regional donors.
“We can’t wait to be visiting Cleveland with our new Pop-up Donor Centre,” said Liam Richardson from Lifeblood. “With increased capacity and longer opening times, there are plenty more opportunities for donors to make their donations.”
Local Impact
Cleveland is among the first suburbs in South-East Queensland to host the new-style Pop-up. The return visits and expansion to Victoria Point will make donating blood more convenient for residents across the Redlands region.
“We’ve been supported so well by the Redlands community over the years,” Liam said. “Now that we’ll be visiting monthly, we’re hoping to increase the number of donors that we have in the region.”
By the Numbers
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11–17 August – First Cleveland Pop-up visit at Comfort Hotel Pacific.
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15–22 September – Second Cleveland visit confirmed.
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22 Sept–3 Oct – Victoria Point Pop-up at YMCA Victoria Point.
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4-year change – Waiting period for most metastatic cancers cut from 5 years to 1.
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13 14 95 – Call centre for donation bookings and eligibility checks.
Zoom In
This initiative expands the number of donors Lifeblood can support in one visit. The facility includes modern equipment and offers a better donor experience than older mobile setups. Lifeblood is also encouraging past ineligible donors to check again, as many eligibility rules have changed in recent years.
“If you’ve been told in the past that you’re not able to donate, I still urge you to check,” said Liam. “We’ve made so many changes to eligibility in the past few years.”
Zoom Out
The Pop-up Donor Centres are part of a broader national strategy to increase blood donations by improving access and flexibility. If the monthly Redlands visits succeed, more regions are likely to see similar services.
What to look for next?
The next Pop-up visits are already confirmed:
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Cleveland: 15–22 September
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Victoria Point: 22 September–3 October
Appointments can be booked online at lifeblood.com.au, through the Donate Blood app, or by calling 13 14 95.
