The NHS Blood and Transplant service is calling for more young people to give blood after it was revealed that for the first time in five years there are more donors over the age of 45 than under.

Since 2018, 17-44 year olds have been the majority and they have now been overtaken by older people who now make up 51% of donors overall.

There has been a worrying decline in the proportion of young donors “with only half as many 17-24-year-olds giving blood now compared with five years ago”

New donors can often feel intimidated or afraid their first time donating but nurses and regular donors reassure that there is nothing to worry about.

Janine Marsh, 53, a Donor Carer at the Sheffield Blood Donor centre said: “Coming into a room where you don’t know what to expect can be a bit scary, but if you come and take a look around you’ll see we’re all friendly”.

Martin Chinnery, 59, an IT Manager at Sheffield Hallam University, made a monumental 101st donation on the 27th of February.

Mr Chinnery has been a regular donor since the late 1980s, he said:  “101 donations and I’ve never once yet looked at them when they put the needle in. I don’t like the idea of needles. I look away but it never hurts and it’s definitely worthwhile doing”.

“Every time I’m giving a pint of blood I’m not just helping one person, I’m helping that person and their friends and family”.

There is also a constant need for new younger donors with sought after types of blood, for example, CMV-negative blood. Newborn babies can only be transfused with this type of blood.

Jennie, 28, a regular donor that works in Health care communications has CMV-negative blood. She emphasised “the importance of young people donating before you have certain viruses and hormones in your blood so it is safe to go to babies”.

To find out more visit: https://www.blood.co.uk/

To donate visit: https://www.blood.co.uk/the-donation-process/about-our-donation-venues/sheffield/