Fears are growing of an “alarming generation gap” in blood donors after figures showed a 20 per cent drop in the number of young blood donors over the last decade.
Just 14 per cent of people who donate regularly are under 30, while more than two-thirds are over 40, according to new figures from NHS Blood and Transplant.
There were 297,539 donors aged 17 to 34 in 2001, dropping to 237,520 now.
Around 200,000 blood donors of all ages drop off the register every year.
NHSBT, backed by a number of celebrities, is calling for 10,000 people to “make a date to donate”.
Its poll, released to coincide with World Blood Donor Day, found young people are “too busy” to donate or are frightened of the procedure.
The NHS needs 7,000 units of donated blood daily for many procedures, including surgery, to treat cancer, blood disorders and in difficult childbirths.
Jon Latham, assistant director of blood donation at NHSBT, said thousands of lives are saved every year thanks to donors.
He said: “We want to remind everyone that blood donation is one of the simplest ways you can save or improve a life - just one unit of blood can save the life of three adults or seven babies, and you can start donating from the age of 17.
“We also want to take the opportunity to thank our current donors for the invaluable contribution their donations make to saving lives and to ensuring blood stocks meet hospital demands.
“However three-quarters of people who have ever given blood last donated over two years ago, so we’re also keen to emphasise the need to give blood on a regular basis, to help replace the 15 per cent of donors who leave the register each year.”
Some 4 per cent of the UK population are active blood donors. People can give blood every 16 weeks, or three times a year.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: “Sabto has completed its review of the evidence base for donor exclusion and deferral in the UK, including criteria which relate to sexual behaviour.
“The findings of the review will be submitted to the relevant health ministers across the UK and further information on any resulting changes to current blood donation policies will be made available in due course - in light of all the evidence.”
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