WITH the festive season nearly upon us, residents of West Devon are being encouraged to think about giving a different gift this year — their blood writes Tom French.

The NHS Blood and Transplant Service regularly hold blood donation sessions in Okehampton, Tavistock and across West Devon, often getting good community support for the events. The West Devon district has 1,175 active blood donors and as of October 29, the service has collected 2,235 units of blood from donors living in West Devon this year. However, the donation session in Tavistock on November 11 proved quieter than normal, just at the worst time of year for the blood service.

Geraldine Parker, lead donor relations manager at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: 'Blood stock levels can drop dramatically over the busy festive period as Christmas shopping, celebrations and extended public holidays mean giving blood slips off the nation's to-do lists.

'At this time of year many people want to give something more than material gifts. A blood donation truly is the gift only you can give and with one single donation you can save or improve up to three lives.

'Don't worry if you've never given blood before — now is a great time to sign up and start giving.'

The NHS needs more than 200,000 donors nationally to help hundreds of thousands of patients in the run-up to Christmas. Christmas shopping, the party season, extended public holidays and winter weather tend to mean pressure on blood stocks. Last year, one in five donors missed donation appointments, putting stocks under even greater pressure.

Over the next six weeks 210,00 blood donations and 12,500 platelet donations are needed to make sure hospitals in England and north Wales have the stocks they need to treat patients.

Only 4% of the overall eligible population are active blood donors, yet most people can give blood. If you are generally in good health, aged 17 to 65 if it is your first donation, and weigh at least 7 stone 12 pounds (50kg), you can donate.

Men can donate four times in 12 months with a minimum interval of 12 weeks between donations. Female donors are advised to donate at an average of 16 weeks or more to reduce the risk of iron deficiency. Each donation takes about 470ml, which is just under a pint. The body replaces the lost fluid in a short period of time.

Donations from every blood donor is vital, but over winter months the service particularly needs to ensure supplies of rarer blood groups, such as O Negative, A Negative, B Negative and AB Negative are kept high.

On the NHS Blood and Transplant Service website http://www.blood.co.uk">www.blood.co.uk new and regular donors can search for scheduled donor sessions and make online appointments to give blood. Visit the website for more information on the service.

l The next blood donation sessions in the area are listed below:

Okehampton Charter Hall — Today, November 20, and Friday, January 16.

Chagford Jubilee Hall — Thursday, November 27 and Tuesday, April 28.

Tavistock Methodist Church — Tuesday, December 2 and Tuesday, December 23.

Yelverton War Memorial Hall — Wednesday, December 31 and Monday, April 6.

Callington Town Hall — Tuesday, November 25 and Monday, January 26.