Yousaf donates blood and urges other Scots to ‘help save a life’

The First Minister has donated blood in an effort to encourage others to participate in the potentially life-saving act.

Humza Yousaf visited the Glasgow Blood Donor Centre in the city on Friday to highlight the need to drive up blood donations at this time of year.

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) hoped to attract 2,231 donors across the country over the festive period, but so far only half that number – 927 – have booked appointments.

According to the organisation’s website, supply for the AB- blood type is particularly low in Scotland, with an estimated four days’ worth of stock available, while O-, B- and O+ have five.

The SNBTS aims to retain six days’ of stock at any time to meet the requirements of patients.

Donation centres in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Livingston are open at various times during the festive period and into the new year.

Mr Yousaf, who has donated blood on a number of occasions, urged people to “help save a life”.

He said: “The reason why I’m here is pretty simple – to urge people to take a little bit of time out of the festive period to give blood.

“Our Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is seeking to have over 2,000 donations over the festive period.

“They’ve had less than half of those numbers booked in for appointments.

“So please do give blood – you could quite literally be helping to save a life.”