Inverness young people urged to give blood donations
The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) is calling for more people across the country - particularly young donors - to roll up their sleeves, as the number of active blood donors remains 10 per cent below target.
Although blood stock levels in Scotland have stayed at safe levels thanks to nearly 95,000 active donors, SNBTS is aiming to boost this figure to 105,000.
The appeal comes during Blood Donor Week (June 9- 15), which leads up to World Blood Donor Day on June 14.
The service is especially keen to see more 17 to 24-year-olds get involved.
Among the new wave of young donors is 17-year-old Amy McIntosh, who gave blood for the first time earlier this year at Culloden Academy.
Her decision was inspired by a deeply personal experience - her mum received life-saving blood donations during a kidney transplant.
“It feels great to know that I can give something back and do a good turn for someone else out there and their family members,” said Amy.
“Knowing how much it meant to us as a family when we needed help most.”
For twin teenagers Tyler and Kaiden Martin, giving blood became a family affair. They joined their dad, Lee, at the Inverness Donor Centre, where he was making his 38th donation. It was the first time for both brothers.
Tyler described the experience at the centre, based at Raigmore Hospital, as overwhelmingly positive.
He said the idea that the three of them could help up to nine people in under an hour was “absolutely brilliant”.
“There’s no reason not to donate if you can,” he said.
“It’s a great thing to be able to do for someone who’s less fortunate than you, and you never know when you might need the help yourself.
“The atmosphere was chilled, and the staff were so reassuring. I’d highly recommend it to anyone - especially if you can bring along a buddy or family member.”
Debbie McNaughton, associate director of donor services at SNBTS, said an increase in donor numbers is vital, particularly as the donor base has not fully recovered since the pandemic.
Regular donors have helped maintain safe stock levels, but the current figures highlight a shift in demographics.
More than half of Scotland’s active blood donors are aged 45 or over. In Inverness, that number rises to 64 per cent.
Meanwhile, donors aged 17 to 24 represent just 5 per cent of the local donor base - though that figure rises slightly to 7 per cent within the Inverness Donor Centre.
Younger donors now make up the smallest proportion of Scotland’s active donor population, with most regular givers now aged between 55 and 64.
While SNBTS acknowledges the demands on young people’s time, efforts are underway to reach them through school and university-based sessions.
Across Scotland, 51 per cent of donors currently give blood only once a year, despite being able to donate up to three times annually.
