The EDP and Evening News are launching the New Blood campaign, in association with NHS Blood and Transplant, which manages voluntary donations nationally, to recruit 750 new donors during this month of December.

Just 4pc of the eligible population are active blood donors.

A unit of blood is measured as 470 mls (or just under a pint) theNHSBT collects approximately 2m units of blood each year from 1.4m blood donors.

There are four main blood groups – O, A, B and AB. Group O is the most common and therefore the most in demand.

A regular supply of blood is vital – red cells last only 35 days and platelets only seven days.

To meet the never ending demand for blood, more than 7,000 donations a day are needed, every day of the year.

Each blood donation you make can save up to three people's lives.

Blood is grouped, labelled, processed, tested and ready for use within 48 hours of your donation.

You can give blood every 16 weeks as a woman or every 12 weeks for men.