Dame Sharon White and Lord Simon Woolley call for more black blood donors (Photos: Getty)

Influential leaders have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the urgent need for more black blood donors.

Some of Britain’s most influential black people, including John Lewis Partnership leader Dame Sharon White and Operation Black Vote founder Lord Simon Woolley, have joined forces to raise awareness of the shortage.

The latest data from NHS Blood and Transplant shows that only 1% of active blood donors in England are black.

More black donors are desperately needed to meet the increasing demand for the specific type of sickle cell blood patient known as the Ro subtype.

NHS Blood and Transplant said sickle cell is the fastest growing genetic disorder in the UK and the number of donations needed to treat it has risen from 150 a day five years ago to 250 a day.

Sickle cells – a group of inherited blood disorders that affect red blood cells – are more common in black people and ethnically matched blood offers the best treatment, the NHS service said.

More than half of black people in the UK have the Ro subtype – 55% – compared to 2% of the general population and so more black donors are needed to meet the increasing demand.

Dame Sharon and Lord Woolley, who are both on the 2023 Powerlist – a list of the most influential people in Africa and his African-Caribbean heritage – called for more black donors to come forward.

The NHS has fixed and mobile blood centers across the country (Photo: Getty)

Dame Sharon said: “We know that black people are more likely to get sickle cell disease, which can require regular blood transfusions.

“By increasing the number of Black Heritage donors, we can ensure that all patients across England receive the best matching blood.”

Lord Woolley, a former government adviser on race issues and the first black person to be elected head of an Oxbridge university, said: “Blood donation is a simple but vital act of kindness that can save lives.

“It is vital that more black people understand the importance of donating blood and have the confidence to do so.”

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The pair visited a new NHS donor center at Westfield Shopping Center in Stratford, east London, to launch the campaign, which is also backed by Netflix boss Anne Mensah.

Ms Mensah, vice president of UK content at the streaming giant, said: “I’m proud to support this campaign and have been donating blood at my local center for years. Blood donation can mean the difference between life and death for someone in our community.

“I encourage all of us to do it if we can.”

Mark Croucher, Associate Director of Donor Experience Services at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We are delighted to have the support of some of the most influential people in the country as we help raise awareness of the urgent need for more black blood donors.

“The demand for ethnically matched blood for sickle cell patients is increasing and has already doubled in recent years.

“If you haven’t donated blood in a while, we’d love to welcome you to our amazing community of life-saving blood donors and help you meet the needs of patients now and in the future.

“Each blood donation can save or improve up to three lives.”