Alliance Leader giving blood at Stormont

12.00.00pm GMT Mon 19th Nov 2007

Alliance Leader David Ford is today giving blood at a Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion event at Stormont in a bid to promote blood donation and encourage others to get involved.

David Ford said "Today's event highlights how important giving blood is. It is a real life saver and I would strongly encourage anyone that can do it to do so.

"There is a very serious message behind today's event at Stormont. We need more people to step forward and become blood donors. It's so simple to do and makes so much of a big difference to people's lives.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to praise the excellent work of the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service who have helped save countless lives since the group's establishment in 1946. It is amazing to think that they collect, distribute and test 75,000 donations every year, but we still need more people to become donors here."

ENDS