MORE than 300 people in Worcestershire signed up as blood donors in the space of just 10 days earlier this month.

During a campaign by NHS Blood and Transplant between Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 14 appealing for more donors, 333 people in the county signed the register for the first time, a massive increase from the same period last year when 142 new people were recruited.

Across the country more than 30,000 people signed the register during the campaign, a threefold increase on last year.

NHS Blood and Transplant’s assistant director for donor services and marketing Jon Latham thanked anyone who had pledged to use their own blood to help save lives.

“We hope that the thousands of people who registered will now go on to book an appointment and become regular donors and that the organisations who backed the campaign will continue to help us promote blood donation,” he said.

“Current stock levels are good so we don’t need new donors to walk in to donate now.

“If there aren’t any immediate appointments in the area in the next few weeks – don’t worry, book an appointment for the future.

“We plan our sessions in line with the blood patients need.”

Anyone aged 17 or older, within certain conditions, is eligiable to register as a blood donor. For more information call 0300 123 2323 or visit www.blood.co.uk.