Down Memory Lane

Donated blood, plasma and platelets have allowed so many people who otherwise wouldn’t to have a future. For some donors, though, the habit of saving lives is one that stretches way back into the past – in some cases, as far as the 1950s.

In our feature, Down Memory Lane, these long-standing lifesavers take us back through the decades to the days their younger selves started donating.

David Rose

Centurion donor David knows just how important giving blood is after being involved in a road traffic accident in 1979

Jill Palfrey

Jill remembers sitting next to the bed whilst her mother gave blood and was determined to be a donor herself.

Alex Elbro

Starting her life-saving journey over 40 years ago, Alex has donated blood, platelets and stem cells

Barry Vickers

Barry is one of 18 people born on the first day of the National Health Service to still be giving blood in England.

Jill Johnston

Jill Johnston from Bedford, a regular blood donor at Cambridge donor centre, celebrated her 75th birthday on the same day as the NHS this week.

Bob Chisholm

Bob first donated when he was 19 and gave 153 donations.

Eileen Brooks

Eileen has donated more than 100 times.

Jean Anderson

Jean has been donating blood since she was a student and intends to carry on for as long as possible.

Barry Hyman

Barry, a Bushey Heath Hertfordshire donor, recently clocked up his 200th donation.

Roy Wheeler

Roy is still donating, 60 years after he first rolled up his sleeve.

Alison Taylor

Alison has been giving blood for over 50 years. To celebrate her 100th donation she campaigned to recruit 100 new donors.

Alison Taylor

Margaret Muttram

Margaret started donating blood in student Rag Week back in the 1960s and is still going strong.

Margaret Muttram

Brian Robbins

Since 1958, Brian, now in his 80s, has donated 134 times.

Brian Robbins

Peter Hearne

This is Peter Hearne's story about his journey to achieving 770 credits for his donations.

Brian Coleman

Brian Coleman has donated 136 units of blood over the years and here he tells us why he started to donated in the first place.

Janice Clarke

Whilst learning how to group and crossmatch blood, Janice Clarke realised how important donated blood can be.

Janice Clarke

Linda Chappell

Linda Chappell started to donate when mobile blood donation team arrived at her workplace. She has since reached 281 credits for her donations.

Chris Kenyon

Chris Kenyon remembers his first donation very well. He has made 113 donations to date with his 114th one already booked online.

Pamela Miley

Pamela Miley made her first blood donation in 1957. She is now aiming for her donation century.

Bernard Dale

Bernard Dale first donated blood serving in the Royal Navy in Sydney, Australia, after being told he could have an afternoon off duties. He is hoping to achieve 160 donations this year.

Jacqueline Wright

Jacqueline Wright has achieved over 590 credits for her donations. She takes us on a journey through her years of being a blood, plasma and platelet donor.

Fred Brailey

Veteran donor Fred Brailey gave blood for the first time in London’s Covent Garden on 14 December, 1956, not long after his 18^th birthday.

Pat Robertson

Pat Robertson has been donating since she was 18 and has achieved over 100 credits. During the Second World War her dad received blood which saved his life.

Jean Herbert

Jean Herbert started donating blood back in the 60s, after her newborn son received life-saving transfusions.

Eric Decamps

Eric Decamps says he still feels refreshed after giving blood – 65 years after his first donation!

Phillip Stout

Phillip Stout has been a donor for 50 years and has every intention of continuing. He looks back on the early days and how donating has changed over the years.

Linda Buckland

Linda first donated with her mum back in 1970. She and her husband celebrated their donation centuries together.

Denis Peel

Denis started to donate blood back in 1956 and hopes to make it to 100 donations soon.

Gillian Pendrigh

Gillian is close to reaching 100 donations. Her husband received more than 200 transfusions after he developed Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a rare blood cancer.