No more Guinness

vedwards

Gave blood last night with my usual expectation of receiving my customary two small bottles of Guinness, the nicest tasting Guinness ever brewed, only to find it's no longer on the menu.
We'll I told them that I was very upset and would send (as I gestured motion of my digits on a keyboard) an email to the Head of the Board (Vampire #1) and informed them that in future, if no Guinness was supplied I would take my blood elsewhere!

vedwards

Just spotted this on their facebook:
Irish Blood Transfusion Service ....Diageo decided late last year that as part of their corporate social responsibility programme, they no longer wanted to imply that their products had any medicinal benefit. Under current economic circumstances we couldn't justify spending taxpayers money on alcohol and the Government are planning to lower the drink driving limit, so we decided to withdraw Guinness from clinics. We hope this wont deter you from coming back to us!

Shame on Diageo...I've a good mind to give it up for lent...just watch their shares tumble then!!

vedwards

O.K. Couldn't let it go...Diageo have a crap website...can't find any direct email contact. So onto Guinness..

It was with great disappointment that after giving my blood donation last night at a IBTS Clinic, when asked "what would I like to drink" and with a smile of anticipation I said proudly 'Guinness' I was told it was no longer on the menu.

The response from the IBTS on their facebook page:
Irish Blood Transfusion Service
.....Diageo decided late last year that as part of their corporate social responsibility programme, they no longer wanted to imply that their products had any medicinal benefit. Under current economic circumstances we couldn't justify spending taxpayers money on alcohol and the Government are planning to lower the drink driving limit, so we decided to withdraw Guinness from clinics. We hope this wont deter you from coming back to us!

Blood donors are screened by the blood donation process and are by virtue of this have impeccable character, most are stalwarts of the community, responsible and health conscience citizens. Surely the insinuation by Diageo that a donor would drive after giving blood and consuming alcohol is an affront to these people.

The great soapbox forum that is the World Wide Web already has postings to social network sites etc.. expressing similar sentiments of shock.

There appears to be a case of double standards with Diageo "Today Guinness sponsors events in the arts and sports arenas such as The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival and the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship" from their website. Or is it a case of punishing the Irish as Guinness sales slip here and increase in Europe by 1%.

How does that sound?

trout

It does seem a bit mean that they would not offer you a pint of stout when you've given freely of your life's blood.

Go for it!

vedwards

A pint? A small bottle would have sufficed...after all I don't have blue blood...only the cheap common one RH something. It's this whole "Nanny" thing that bugs me. Where will Big Brother and his sister Nanny end? €40k for surveillance cameras in a small town like Newtownbarry...oh wait...they're installed!

Redsunset

GUINNESS!!! mmmmm tasty!!!!!!


I go to a place called a pub mate,plenty of it there,or an off licence.

Was never gonna last, that craic.But yes tis a shame.

I can't give blood because of eating meat in UK going back to whatever year and the whole mad cow scare.

davy7

im amazed that this practise lasted so long in the first place.

should be happy it got such a good run!