News: New blood in Glastonbury Line Up

NHS Blood and Transplant encourages festival goers to be this year’s ‘headline act’.   

Following on from the success of National Blood Week last week, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has announced a partnership with Glastonbury for this year’s Festival.  

For the first time ever, festival goers will have the opportunity to find out more about blood donation and to sign up as new blood donors. No one will be asked to give blood on the day though!

Glastonbury festival has awarded NHS Blood and Transplant ‘Health Campaign of the Year’ status at the event. The partnership has been developed as part of a major campaign to recruit new blood donors.  NHS Blood and Transplant revealed last week that 40% fewer new blood donors came forward across England and North Wales last year compared to a decade ago. The organisation is calling for 204,000 new donors this year to keep the nation’s blood stocks at a safe level for the future.  

The festival is supporting blood donation through featured content in its festival programme, E‐ newsletter, social media channels and website, www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/worthy‐ causes/nhsbt/ as well as providing a spot in the Green Futures field for a registration stall.  

Festival activity will centre on ‘Be This Year’s Headline Act,’ which promotes the lifesaving results that follow the act of donating blood.  Festival‐goers will be invited to sign up to be a blood donor and then have a bit of fun being a headliner on a specially constructed ‘Drop Stage’ sharing their experience using #headlineact on social media.

Glastonbury festival organiser, Emily Eavis said: “Giving blood is such an important thing to do and saves people’s lives, so we’re really thrilled to have NHS Blood and Transplant at the Festival this year. Around 1 in 4 people who are at the Festival in 2015 may need blood at some point in their lives but fewer new volunteers are coming forward to give blood. It would be fantastic if people took a few minutes to visit the NHS Blood and Transplant stand in the Green Future field and signed up to be a donor.”

Jon Latham, Assistant Director of Donor Services and Marketing from NHS Blood and Transplant, added: “It is so exciting to be working with Glastonbury this year. The platform will provide such a great opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of donating blood, particularly among young people, who we need to be the blood donors of the future. We are planning to make the most of the occasion and are looking forward to meeting as many festival goers as possible!”  

The five‐day Festival will begin on 24 June near Pilton, Somerset, England.  Those who don’t manage to make it to the NHS Blood and Transplant stall at the event are encouraged to register online at www.blood.co.uk/Glastonbury.  

Notes to editors

‐ Around 25% of people living in the UK will require blood at least once in their lifetime.
‐ Less than 4% of the eligible population give blood.    

About NHS Blood & Transplant 
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. Its remit includes the provision of a reliable, efficient supply of blood and associated services to the NHS in England and North Wales. It is also the organ donor organisation for the UK and is responsible for matching and allocating donated organs.

About Glastonbury
Glastonbury Festival is the largest greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world. The festival will run from 24th to 28th June 2015 near Pilton, Somerset.