Plea for new blood donors over the festive season

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) is looking for new donors over the festive season.

The service is also asking people to return to donate blood if they have not given in a while.

Currently in Scotland there are 96,726 registered donors but about a third of them have not donated any blood in 2022 to date.

The SNBTS said it will continue to collect blood donations over the Christmas holiday period.

Dr Sylvia Armstrong-Fisher, of the SNBTS, said: "We can see lots of donors, who were so committed during the pandemic, may now have got out of the habit.

"We are asking people to book an appointment at your local donor centre, or one of the many community sessions across the country.

"Blood donors have an essential part to play in supporting NHS Scotland this winter."

Changes have been made to blood collection making it as easy as possible for donors with the SNBTS offering sessions by appointment.

The SNBTS will be collecting blood on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and Hogmanay.