The Blood Bank, a mortgage and property finance collective, has launched to promote the importance of donating blood.
It believes that it has the ability to harness a large amount of interest from a wide-ranging community of possible donors. By the end of 2022, it wants to have onboarded 30,000 new registrants.
The idea was initiated by regular donors Roger Morris, group distribution director at OSB Group; Tim Vigeon, head of lending at Buckinghamshire Building Society and Peter Harte, sales development manager at Mortgage Brain.
The Blood Bank was created to serve as a platform to educate and encourage those who can to donate. A Twitter account is live and supporters are encouraged to tag and use #mortgagebloodbank alongside their donation experience photos and videos, as well as snapshots of texts confirming where their donations are being used, to spread the word.
Morris said: “I first gave blood when I was a young firefighter. We were called to help rescue a woman who had been involved in a serious car accident. She had lost a lot of blood and held my hand while we cut her out of the vehicle and wouldn’t let go.
“I went with her in the ambulance to the hospital and remember saying to the surgeon that I wished there was something more I could do to help and he said that, if I really meant it, to go and donate some blood. I did then, and it’s something I’ve done more than 60 times since.
“I’m incredibly passionate about it and encourage everyone to get involved. It doesn’t take long, doesn’t cost anything, and by donating just a pint of blood you can save up to three lives – it’s the greatest gift you can give.”
Vigeon added: “I was inspired to give blood by my mum and dad who were regular donors and have been donating since the 1980s.
“As it happens, I have one of the rarer blood groups so I try to donate as often as I can. #Dosomethingamazing sums up exactly what giving blood is all about – you are helping someone or saving a life. And the biscuits you get post-donation are a bonus.
“The last time I donated, there was a lady who was giving for the 93rd time – this gives me the encouragement to keep on donating.”
Harte said: “I was one of those people that always thought about giving blood, but was always ‘too busy’.
“I finally got my act together to donate and, since then, it’s become a regular occurrence. Being totally honest, you come away feeling great about yourself as you know you’ve done a good thing, but what really brought it home was when I got the text after my third or fourth time giving to say my donation had been used at Birmingham Children’s Hospital — why would you not donate when you can save a child’s life?”
The bank’s website acts as a central portal, providing information about what giving blood entails and tracking the number of people in the financial services industry who register to become donors and eventually donate.
Employers that want to organise company-wide drives can also access useful resources on the website and request virtual explainer sessions with the NHSBT team.
Kevin Roberts, director at L&G Mortgage Club, added: “After giving blood regularly for years, a travel vaccination meant I got out of the habit, unfortunately, and it has been some time since my last donation. Really grateful to The Blood Bank for a gentle nudge to get me back to donating — my wife and I are eagerly awaiting the next appointment at our local centre; we’re both inspired.”
