Group blood donation for Black heritage communities
Book as a group to help people living with sickle cell.
There’s a growing need for certain rare blood types that are more common in people of Black heritage, especially Ro. This type of blood is often needed by people living with sickle cell, the UK’s fastest growing genetic condition.
A single person with sickle cell may need blood from up to 100 donors every year.
Why we are doing this
Group bookings make it easier for Black heritage donors to give blood together. Whether with friends, family, or part of a community group, you can now donate side by side on dedicated days helping to ease nerves, boost confidence, and create a positive experience, especially for first-time donors.
This service responds directly to feedback from our Black heritage partners, demonstrating how powerful it is when people can give blood as a community.
Your group donation could help provide better-matched blood and improve care for people living with sickle cell.
Donate together
We’re making it easier for people to give blood together.
Whether you want to come along with a few friends or family members, or reserve part of an upcoming date for your community group, our group booking sessions offer a welcoming, supportive environment for everyone involved.
Each session can accommodate up to around 40 people and runs every 6 to 8 weeks at selected donor centres. Come with a few others by booking individually on the booking links, or contact us to reserve part of a future session for your group.
Group donation sessions are available at the following donor centres:
- Birmingham
- London, Brixton
- London, Stratford
- London, Shepherd’s Bush
- Manchester, Plymouth Grove
Book your group session
To book, each person in your group will need to:
If you haven’t given blood before, sign up and you’ll be given your donor ID.
Select your nearest donor centre from the list below and fill out the booking form. You’ll need to include your donor ID for this.
Booking on behalf of an organisation?
Whether you’re a church, university society, community group, or another organisation looking to reserve multiple slots for a group donation, we’re here to help.
Please email groupbookingsdonorcentres@nhsbt.nhs.uk with your group details and preferred donor centre and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Can I give blood?
Most people can give blood, but there are a few important things to check before you book.
You may need to wait if you:
- have recently travelled to certain countries. For example, you need to wait four months after returning to the UK from Ghana, and six months after returning from Nigeria before donating blood
- have low iron levels - which can vary between people, as some naturally have lower levels than others which can impact donation
- are taking certain medications or have specific health conditions
If you’re a new donor or unsure about the criteria, please use our quick eligibility tool. It covers common reasons people may not be able to donate and helps make sure your donation is safe for you and the patients who need it.
How your donation helps
People with sickle cell often need regular blood transfusions. The best match often comes from someone of the same ethnicity.
Currently, only 50% of transfusions for people with sickle cell are the best possible match.
More donors of Black heritage are urgently needed to provide the best care and support for people with sickle cell.
