RESIDENTS can give blood locally over the next few weeks when the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) visits North Ayrshire.

The SNBTS relies on hundreds of donors giving blood every day to meet demand.

Anyone wishing to give blood can do so at the following: January 15 – 2.30-3.30pm and 5-7pm in West Kilbride Community Centre; February 12 – 2.30- 3.30pm and 5-7pm Ardrossan Civic Centre; February 13 – 4-7.30pm in Ardrossan Civic Centre; February 19 – 4.30-7.30pm in Dalry Community Centre; February 19 – 4-7.30pm in Bridgend Community Centre.

Lynne Willdigg, Associate Director of Donor Services, SNBTS, said: "There are eight different blood groups, and we aim to maintain a five to seven-day supply at all times of each one.

“Our focus as a service is to ensure that we consistently meet clinical demand and to this end we work closely with hospitals to forecast that demand. This means that we can provide donors with a greater level of detail about how their donation is needed. For example, O Positive is Scotland’s most common blood group, so we must welcome 191 people with this blood group every day.

“O Negative on the other hand is the only blood group that can safely be given to anyone in an emergency situation, therefore, requires proportionately a higher level of donation to the population profile.

This means that every day we require at least 71 donors of this universal blood group to ensure A&E wards can operate safely.”

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