National Blood Service is encouraging friends to give blood together this summer

Jul 29 2009 by Carrie Catterall, Birkenhead News

To find a list of sessions in the Wirral area call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk.

THE National Blood Service is encouraging friends to give blood together this summer.

The service want regular donors to bring their buddies along to blood-giving sessions for National Friendship Day, held on August 2.

Blood is a lifesaving gift and no-one can testify to this more than Greater Manchester PCSO Gary Etchells.

He was stabbed in the neck while on routine patrol a few years ago and needed 12 blood transfusions and two units of platelets to save his life.

Following his ordeal Gary decided to get a little help from his own friends, by enrolling 14 of his police colleagues who agreed to donate blood.

Over the summer the number of people who donate blood tends to drop as regular donors go on holidays, many of which are in malarial regions, so the donors are prevented from giving blood for six months after they return.

Pam Prescott, of the National Blood Service said: "Bringing a friend to a session is an ideal way to help boost

More than 7,000 units of blood are needed every day in hospitals across England and North Wales to help treat those involved in accidents or people suffering from long term illnesses.