Blood is always in short supply – and as the NHS made another appeal for donors we sent our reporter Alex Alley to find out what it was like to give blood.

Nervous about my first time donating blood I was pleasantly surprised at how simple it really was.

Donors have to keep up their energy when they donate – so as I entered the centre I was seated and given a packet of crisps and a drink.

The iron in my blood then had to be tested to make sure I was suitable to donate.

Pricking my finger, they dripped my blood into a solution, timing how long it takes to sink to the bottom.6

Read Full Article