I got a text message yesterday from The National Blood Service telling me that stocks of my blood type are low, and could I make a donation soon. I couldn’t make my last session the week before Xmas as was just too busy with work. So I checked out the website www.blood.co.uk and have found a session on tomorrow at a school a few villages away.

Apparently as winter colds and flu affect increasing numbers of people, the National Blood Service is urging everyone who can to get down to their local blood collection session to give blood. Over the past two weeks, more than 6,000 fewer donors have been giving blood across the country than this time last year, causing blood stocks to dip significantly. While supplies to hospitals continue to be met, the National Blood Service needs 7000 donations across the country every day to maintain healthy blood stocks and is urging people not to leave blood donation to someone else.

Many of the regular blood donors this country’s health service relies upon to keep stocks healthy over the holiday period have not been able to give blood due to flu and winter colds. Blood is often vital for patients undergoing treatment, for cancer, for example, and may help to allow them to go home for Christmas to spend time with their families and friends.

Apparently only 6% of the people eligible to give blood do – read more on this site www.stosyth.gov.uk

If you are contemplating giving blood – this is an interesting article called Top Ten Reasons People Don’t Give Blood …And the Argument Against Them

All you have to do is call The National Blood Service on 08457 711 711 or visit www.blood.co.uk for details of your local blood session or to make an appointment.