Trinity Mirror’s network of Scottish local papers launched a life-saving campaign over Christmas which has resulted in a massive increase in blood donors north of the border, writes Dominic Ponsford.
The Save a Life for Christmas campaign was launched across the titles in Scottish & Universal Newspapers in response to an appeal from the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service. It said stocks were becoming dangerously low.
A Trinity Mirror spokesman said: “The campaign has been so successful that in one case the service in Perth couldn’t cope with the demand after a month-long push in the Perthshire Advertiser.”
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During the November/December campaign, blood donations increased by 33 per cent, with 381 extra donors coming forward. Blood service manager Jaqueline Millar said: “This was an amazing response. We’ve really been overwhelmed by the number of donors coming forward.”
Other S&UN titles involved in the campaign reported similar success stories. Stirling Observer editor Alan Rennie said: “Donations have passed levels expected by the transfusion service.”
In The Galloway News area, 195 turned out to a donor session organised as part of the campaign – the most ever recorded at that location.
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John Murdoch, editor of the Wishaw Press and the Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser, said: “The service was delighted by the reader’s response with 483 people donating over the festive season, a rise of more than 20 per cent on last year.”
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