NHS Blood Donation

03/11/2025

Community, culture, and compassion came together at our Brixton Donor Centre as we welcomed Jamaica’s High Commissioner to the UK, business and cultural leaders, and incredible blood donors and recipients.❤️

Together, we’re shining a light on the urgent need for more Black heritage blood donors.

Now, 150,000 Supligen cans proudly share the message nationwide, inspiring even more people to save lives.

02/11/2025

All from the 'liquid gold' running through your veins! 💉

This article follows the journey donated plasma takes from being collected or retrieved from your blood, to making life-saving medicines.

EXCLUSIVE: The Express visited a blood processing facility to find out what happens after you donate.

02/11/2025

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the incident last night on the train at Huntingdon.

Thanks to donors from across the country, we were able to supply 40 units of blood, including 20 units of O negative – the blood type used in emergencies to the hospital treating those injured. We are grateful to all colleagues working this weekend who were able to respond so quickly.

Stocks of O negative, B negative and RO blood are currently running low. We urgently need more donors with these blood types to book appointments in for the coming days and weeks. If you don’t already know your blood type – give blood and find out.

Currently we have over 62,000 appointments available to fill over the next six weeks in our 28 donor centres across major towns and cities as we approach the busy winter period.

Please book now at www.blood.co.uk or by downloading the NHS Give Blood app.

31/10/2025

We don’t think there’s a more ICONIC way to make your century blood donation than on Halloween, dressed as the Bride of Dracula. 🌹

That’s exactly what Carol Verney did today at our Poole Donor Centre!

The 80-year-old celebrated reaching 100 donations in style, bringing along husband Malcolm (sporting his best Dracula mask and cape) to the session.

We’re super impressed by the costume and Carol's SIX decades of donating. 👏

31/10/2025

Today's the one day of the year when we fully embrace our 'vampire' status! 🧛

This Halloween, our spooky staff worked wonders with costumes, face paint and a bit bunting, all to bring smiles to the faces of our donors.

To catch-up with your local spooky squad, book your next appointment ➡️ https://ow.ly/zKXC50XkSUz

🩸 For anyone with O negative, B negative or Ro blood, we’re offering walk-in donations this weekend at any of our city donor centres. If you're due to donate, just turn up and we'll get you in the chair!

31/10/2025

Spooky season is here 👻

Anyone managed to bag themselves an appointment for today?

Attendance in costume isn’t mandatory…yet!!

30/10/2025

Dracula’s not the only one on the hunt for blood. We are – with the help of English Heritage!🧛

We’ve teamed up with the charity on a very special (and spooky) mission.

This Halloween, visitors to some of the country’s most historic places will be gifted free self-testing kits, to take home and discover their blood type. 🩸

One of the most famous sites to be taking part is Whitby Abbey, the location that inspired Bram Stoker to create Dracula and where thousands of cape-wearing fans flock to every 31st October.

The 1897 novel features one of the earliest depictions of blood transfusions in literature, so the link is quite poetic!

We hope the partnership will help people learn about their blood type and encourage them to donate, especially those with rarer and in-demand groups like O negative and B negative.

Click here to read more and find your nearest English Heritage sites supporting the campaign ➡️ https://ow.ly/fKe950XjSNH

29/10/2025

Our donors are lifesavers. ♥️ Usaama shares why he keeps coming back:

"Doing my small bit whenever my iron levels will allow 🩸

"And no, it is not because I keep seeing ads everywhere calling for more Black men to donate. Okay maybe a little.

"If you can, do hit up NHS Blood Donation. If not today, please help spread the word."

Find out more about why we need more donors of Black heritage: https://ow.ly/LHYw50XjTNG

28/10/2025

Lisa’s story shows just how vital blood donation is. As a B positive Ro donor and someone with sickle cell trait (also known as being a sickle cell carrier), she was once a donor herself, before going on to receive a life-saving transfusion after the birth of her daughter.

Her experience is a powerful reminder that it’s possible to donate with sickle cell trait, and of the incredible power of blood donation to save lives. ❤️🩸

27/10/2025

🩸 Meet Rob - one of the first people to sign up to the SHAPE-Plasma study!

Rob is a regular plasma donor who's now helping us research the best ways to collect this ‘liquid gold’.

As the number of plasma donors across our 3 dedicated centres in England increase, we want to test which donation volumes, frequencies and booking system are most effective.

In the study, Rob is donating less frequently than he previously did but giving more plasma each time.

"Enrolment by email was effortless," says Rob. "I understood the main aims of the trial and what my new donation interval would be before I turned up for my next scheduled donation.

"800ml of plasma looks even more impressive in the bag than my usual 700ml, and the donation itself took only very slightly longer.

"My message to other potential participants is: 'why not?’ You'll be doing pretty much what you've already been doing, but with slightly less flexibility for a year or so. If you can accommodate that, then go for it.'" 👌

The SHAPE-Plasma study is open to every plasma donor in Birmingham, Reading and Twickenham.

By taking part, you'll be randomly assigned to donate every 2, 4 or 8 weeks. Half of the participants will also be given new volumes to donate and asked to book appointments differently.

👀 Keep an eye out for an email inviting you to take part or scan the QR codes in centres to sign-up!

Click here for more information ➡️ https://ow.ly/qqzR50XgojK

26/10/2025

Blood donor Pandora has been saving lives for over 10 years. Now she's helping save even more.

She's one of over 90,000 blood donors who have contributed to Our Future Health – the UK's largest health research programme aimed at finding new ways to treat diseases.

Pandora said: "So many diseases and illnesses can be prevented if caught sooner and helping to advance better detection and treatment of diseases sounded like a fantastic idea, and one that I was very keen to be a part of!"

If you're a donor aged 18+, you can get involved too.

Simply register and when you next donate, we'll collect an extra blood sample. Your contribution could be crucial for research into better matching of blood transfusions, stem cell donations and organ transplants in the future.

Make an even bigger difference at your next appointment. Discover how we can prevent disease together.

➡️ https://ow.ly/pRLY50XhfIY

26/10/2025

The clocks going back means we all have an extra hour to play with today! ⏰

Coincidentally that's about how long it takes to donate blood... 🤔

So, well done to all the giving types using their bonus time today to give blood.