Blood donors are honoured for their loyalty

THREE blood donors from Bognor Regis who have saved up to 750 lives have been honoured for their dedication.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Jul 2013, 14:00 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 20:20 BST
Blood donorsBlood donors
Blood donors

Margaret Huntingdon, Peter Beck and Garry Mills received crystal awards for their loyalty to donating blood at a ceremony held by NHS Blood and Transplant in Portsmouth.

Mrs Huntingdon has given 100 pints of blood. Mr Beck and Mr Mills have given 75 pints each. Every donation can save up to three lives.

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Margaret, 75, of Ivy Lane, said: “I’ve now given 101 pints and it feels good to get to that amount. It’s such an achievement.

“I started when I left school at 16. Every time I’ve given blood in that period something has changed. It’s unrecognisable now to how it used to be.”

Bringing up two children and reaching 70 caused two hiccups in her lengthy donating history.

John Canning, NHS Blood and Transplant’s lead donor relations manager for Portsmouth, said: “While some donors have personal reasons and experiences that will drive them to donate, others do it for no other reason than to give back to their community and because they think it is the right thing 
to do.”

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The donors, pictured left to right, are: Peter Beck, 75th award recipient; Ian Hamerton, the head of donor services at NHS Blood and Transplant; Margaret Huntingdon, 100th award recipient; and Garry Mills 75th award recipient.

Related topics:HuntingdonPortsmouth