Could you give up just one hour of your time to help save lives?

Many of us have considered giving blood but worried that we may not be the right person to donate.

But thousands of new donors are required by the NHS each year to replace regular donors who have had to stop due to lifestyle changes, illness or because they are getting older.

A total of 135,000 new blood donors are needed each year to replace those who stop donating and to ensure there is a right mix of blood groups, O, A, B and AB, to match patient needs.

We've taken a look at what giving blood involves and what you need to know before your first donation.

Can I give blood?

In general, as long as you are fit and healthy, weigh over 7st 12lbs (50kg) and are aged between 17 and 66 (up to 70 if you have given blood before) you should be able to give blood.

If you are over 70, you need to have given blood in the last two years to continue donating.

You should not give blood if you have had hepatitis or jaundice in the last 12 months.

If you have had a piercing, tattoo, semi-permanent make-up or cosmetic procedures which involve skin piercing, you must wait at least four months to donate.

Woman who are pregnant or have had a baby in the last six months will not be able to donate.

Anyone who has received blood products since 1 January 1980 will also not be able to give blood.

If you are feeling unwell in the days before you are due to donate, you can check the website blood.co.uk for advice.

How to prepare

The best way to book an appointment is through the website.

There you can look through all of the available appointments and choose one that suits you.

In Newcastle, the donor centre is on Holland Drive, just off Barrack Road.

After booking an appointment, you should receive a questionnaire in the post. This includes questions on any medication you have taken, or illnesses you have had.

You will also be asked about recent sexual activity which may have put you at risk of any infection and if you have traveled abroad in the last year.

Bring your filled-in questionnaire to your appointment and a staff member will go through your answers during a confidential session.

Before your appointment try and get a good night's rest - around seven to nine hours.

Make sure you have something to eat and drink plenty of water before donating.

Avoid doing any vigorous exercise or heavy lifting the day of your donation – both before and after you’ve given blood.

You will need to roll up your sleeve past your elbow so make sure you wear clothing with loose sleeves.

What happens at the centre

Once you have checked in, you will be encouraged to read information about the donation.

You will also be able to get a drink from a water cooler and you may be given a snack such as a packet of crisps.

After discussing your questionnaire answers, your finger will be pricked to produce a drop of blood in order to check your iron levels are high enough to donate.

You will be taken over to a reclining chair to start the process.

A blood pressure cuff is applied to the arm and blood is then taken from a vein in the crook of your elbow.

Feel free to bring a book to read or listen to some music while you donate - the process should only take around 10 minutes however.

Donors will be told about ‘applied muscle tension’ or AMT. This is a simple behavioural technique that helps to maintain blood pressure, and so stops you from feeling faint or unwell.

AMT involves tensing and relaxing the body’s major muscles during the donation process. This includes crossing and uncrossing your legs and clenching and unclenching your legs and bum.

You will be checked on throughout the donation with Donor Carers on hand if you start to feel unwell.

Once a bag has been filled with just under a pint of blood, the tube will be taken out of your arm and a cotton wool dressing is applied to the area.

Your chair will be slowly lifted back to a seated position.

Blood bag with type O negative blood
Blood bag with type O negative blood

After you've donated blood

Immediately after donating, you will be asked to sit down and given a drink and offered snacks such as biscuits and chocolate.

After around 10-15 minutes, if you feel well enough, you can leave the centre.

You will be given an aftercare card with a number to call if you start to feel ill following the donation.

You may be contacted in the days after the donation telling you your blood type and where your blood was used.

Men must wait 12 weeks between donations and women can only donate once every 16 weeks.

Demand for donors

The demand for blood, for people facing serious illness or emergency operations, is always high.

There are four main blood groups – O, A, B and AB. O negative (the universal blood group) and B negative are particularly vulnerable to shortfalls. People with these blood groups are asked to donate as regularly as they can.

NHS Blood and Transplant say there is an urgent need for more black donors as they are more likely to have the blood type needed to treat the increasing number of patients suffering from sickle cell disease.

An NHS Blood and Transplant spokesperson said: “Blood donation saves lives. Each donation is a precious gift that can save or improve the lives of up to three adults or six infants.

“Giving blood is quick and easy – we aim to have you in and out within an hour but the actual donation itself should only take around 10 minutes.

“We always need new donors because every year some of our donors become ill or their lifestyle changes, and they cannot donate any more.

“We particularly need more male donors, more black donors, and more O negative donors. Our donor centres are bright and modern and Newcastle Donor Centre is a great place to donate for the first time.

“If you can’t see an appointment in the next few days, don’t worry. That just means we have enough donors for those days. Please make an appointment for in a few weeks time instead. We need blood all year round and your blood will still save lives then.”