CONGRATULATIONS to Anthony Ashcroft on attaining his Gold Badge from the Blood Donor service (Alison Fraser, Evening News, December 16).

His amusing account of originally volunteering while in the RAF reminds me of the occasion I was on a Leadership Course with the Royal Navy. As Course President it was my lot to have to appeal for volunteers when the Blood Donor Unit visited the school.

I immediately placed my name first on the list and every other member of the course did likewise. Dutifully, I completed the declaration including the facts that I had indeed at various times suffered from malaria, dengue fever and jaundice.

The nurse looked rather oddly at me. "I thought you would have realised your blood is unsuitable," she observed, obviously noting I wore the badges of a Chief Medical Assistant.

"Of course I do," I replied, 'but how many volunteers do you think there would have been if I had not set an example?"

JOHN HINTON, Worcester.