Man 'chuffed' to give blood for 100th time

David Shaw made his first blood donation 50 years ago

A man who has reached the milestone of giving blood for the 100th time says each donation "feels like you're giving back into the NHS".

David Shaw, from Shepshed, Leicestershire, donated on Monday at Ivanhoe School in Ashby-de-la-Zouch and said he was "chuffed".

The 68-year-old made his first donation in February 1975 after seeing a poster in a hospital while visiting his father.

A fan of Nottingham Forest, Mr Shaw was presented with a shirt on Saturday from the club with "Shaw 100" on the back after his daughter got in contact with them.

"That was a nice touch," he said. "I've got a letter from them as well. It's nice to feel appreciated to be honest."

Mr Shaw, whose blood type is B+, said one of the things he liked most about giving blood was the fact that one donation could help three people.

He said he was first inspired to donate while visiting his dad in hospital.

"He had a few heart attacks when I was about 18," Mr Shaw said. "And I was walking through the hospital and I saw this poster about giving blood.

"I thought that'd be a nice way to pay back to the NHS, in a way, to say thank you for what they've done for my dad.

"And of course, down the years, I've had to use it myself as well.

"Some years I've donated four times [in a year] and other years I haven't donated because I've been in and out of hospital myself."

Mr Shaw said he was "really pleased" to reach a century of donations.

"I can remember doing it when I reached about 50," he added.

"I thought to myself, well, wouldn't it be nice to reach 100? As the years ticked by, I've managed to do it."