The Daily Echo has launched a campaign to encourage 1,000 new donors in Hampshire to sign up and give blood in its Gift of Life Appeal.

One unit of donated blood – which is less than a pint – can be used to help save 3,000 lives.

The number of blood donations is lower during the summer due to people taking holidays, and if holidays involve travel to countries where there’s a risk of contracting malaria blood can’t be donated for six months.

In addition the National Blood Service (NBS) is keen to build up stocks before autumn and the predicted increase in cases of Swine Flu as sufferers will be unable to donate blood while ill and for a period immediately afterwards.

The NBS is also appealing for more donors to come forward from ethnic communities. Whereas most people are aware of the different blood types with the groups of A, B and O, +ve and –ve combinations, what’s less well-known is that blood type can vary depending on the community, culture and country with certain types of blood group more prevalent in some groups of people than in others. Currently there are few ethnic blood donors.

Last year the NBS collected 2.1 million donations from 1.6 million donors – equating to four per cent of the population each giving two or three times a year.

There is no alternative substance that can be used in place of blood and donated blood is used to help treat patients with a variety of illnesses as well as in life-saving operations.

In June 149 people attended the blood donation session at Hedge End Village Hall, with 120 successfully donating. The next blood donation session to be held in Hedge End is on Monday 19 October but there are plenty of other sessions arranged locally. Pre-booking isn’t necessary, but appointments can be made either on-line or by phoning 0300 123 23 23.

It takes only a few minutes to give blood – and anyone aged 17 to 65 can sign up to see if they can become a donor.

For more information see the Daily Echo’s Gift of Life Appeal or visit the National Blood Service website.