A financial services industry collective has announced the launch of The Blood Bank, an industry initiative aimed at raising awareness of the importance of donating blood.
Following a teaser shared last week, and the overwhelming response from the industry, the launch date was brought forward.
The financial services sector is used to deposits, savings and lending; The Blood Bank is taking those concepts and turning them into a nationwide effort to get more people informed about blood donation and, ultimately, increase the giving thereof.
By lending time and making a different kind of deposit, the financial services industry will save lives.
The Blood Bank believes that it has the ability to harness a large amount of interest from a wide-ranging community of possible donors — by the end of 2022, it wants to have onboarded 30,000 new registrants.
The idea was initiated by regular donors Roger Morris, group distribution director at OSB Group; and Tim Vigeon, head of lending at Buckinghamshire Building Society; and Peter Harte, sales development manager at Mortgage Brain.
Since then, various trade publications and other industry stakeholders have helped the trio get it off the ground and build maximum distribution potential.
Educate, encourage and promote
The Blood Bank was created to serve as a platform to educate and encourage those who can to donate.
The bank’s website acts as a central portal, providing information about what giving blood entails and tracking the number of people in the financial services industry who register to become donors and eventually donate.
Employers that want to organise company-wide drives can also access useful resources on the website and request virtual explainer sessions with the NHSBT team.
A Twitter account is live and supporters are encouraged to tag @mtgbloodbank and use #mortgagebloodbank alongside their donation experience photos and videos, as well as snapshots of texts confirming where their donations are being used, to spread the word.
One pint can save three lives
Morris said: “I first gave blood when I was a young firefighter. We were called to help rescue a woman who had been involved in a serious car accident. She had lost a lot of blood and held my hand while we cut her out of the vehicle and wouldn’t let go.
“I went with her in the ambulance to the hospital and remember saying to the surgeon that I wished there was something more I could do to help and he said that, if I really meant it, to go and donate some blood. I did then, and it’s something I’ve done more than 60 times since.
“I’m incredibly passionate about it and encourage everyone to get involved. It doesn’t take long, doesn’t cost anything, and by donating just a pint of blood you can save up to three lives – it’s the greatest gift you can give.”
Vigeon added: “I was inspired to give blood by my mum and dad who were regular donors and have been donating since the 1980s.
“As it happens, I have one of the rarer blood groups so I try to donate as often as I can. #Dosomethingamazing sums up exactly what giving blood is all about – you are helping someone or saving a life. And the biscuits you get post-donation are a bonus.
“The last time I donated, there was a lady who was giving for the 93rd time – this gives me the encouragement to keep on donating.”
Gentle nudge to return
Harte said: “I was one of those people that always thought about giving blood, but was always ‘too busy’.
“I finally got my act together to donate and, since then, it’s become a regular occurrence. Being totally honest, you come away feeling great about yourself as you know you’ve done a good thing, but what really brought it home was when I got the text after my third or fourth time giving to say my donation had been used at Birmingham Children’s Hospital — why would you not donate when you can save a child’s life?”
Kevin Roberts, director at L&G Mortgage Club, commented: “After giving blood regularly for years, a travel vaccination meant I got out of the habit, unfortunately, and it has been some time since my last donation.
“I’m really grateful to The Blood Bank for a gentle nudge to get me back to donating — my wife and I are eagerly awaiting the next appointment at our local centre; we’re both inspired.”
Post-Covid demand surge
The requirement for blood is always high, however, the recommencement of certain procedures now that the Covid-19 vaccine is being rolled out means that demand — especially for certain types of blood and from specific donor demographics — is exceptionally huge.
The NHS needs:
- nearly 400 new donors a day to meet demand
- around 135,000 new donors a year to replace those who can no longer donate
- 40,000 more black donors to meet growing demand for better-matched blood
- 30,000 new donors with priority blood types such as O negative every year
- more young people to start giving blood so there is enough blood in the future.