An urgent plea has gone out to west Londoners with the rare B negative blood type to come forward and help replenish supplies which are dangerously low.
There are only 2,107 registered B negative donors in the capital, with ones who live in White City and Shepherds Bush being directly approached by NHS Blood & Transplant to boost life-saving stocks.
But the call has gone out for new donors with this rare blood type to attend the local centre on the first floor of Westfield mall, between The Village and M&S. Existing donors are also being asked to recruit family members, as they are 30 per cent more likely to have the same group.
"The number of active B negative donors has reached one of the lowest points in recent years, following a loss of 1,000 donors since 2023," said the service's Gerry Gogarty. "It's one of the rarest blood types, and it can be a challenge to collect enough."
Hospitals in need
Hospitals across England need more than 5,000 blood donations every day; equating to three blood donations required every minute to deal with emergencies, childbirth and routine treatments. Blood only has a shelf life of 35 days, so supplies are constantly needed.
As well as B negative, there is continuing need for donors who are O negative and RO – with, statistically, donors of Black heritage more likely to be in the group. Donating takes an hour, with each donation capable of saving up to three lives. Men can give blood every three months, women every four.
The Shepherds Bush blood donor centre is one of the few in the country where younger donors outnumber older counterparts, with two in three donors aged between 17 and 44.
Just two per cent of blood donors in London are B negative, compared to 36 per cent of donors in the most common O positive group.
Westfield's blood centre has vacant slots, so if you can donate, register online at the Give Blood website or call 0300 123 23 23 to book a slot. B negative donors get priority to appointments.
