THIS is just one of the hundreds of Oxfordshire people with a story to tell about why they give blood – and why you should sign up to our Gift of Life appeal.

The Oxford Mail spent the day at a blood donation session in Headington to discover the story behind the 25,000 units of blood which are donated by Oxfordshire residents each year.

We have teamed up with the National Blood Service to launch the Gift of Life appeal – our bid to sign up 1,000 new Oxfordshire donors before winter hits and people become either too busy or ill with seasonal flu to donate.

Geoffrey Giorgio, from Cowley, was one of about 80 people who donated blood at the session in Headington Community Centre, in Gladstone Road, yesterday.

The 26-year-old said: “I started donating when I was about 21.

“It was my mum who inspired me to do it.

“She can’t donate now because she suffers from anaemia, but I decided to carry on.

“If people are really hesitating over giving blood I would say to them imagine it’s one of your family who needs it.

“And put like that I think it’s an easy decision to make.”

Lauren McClue, from Risinghurst, also attended the session, and was handed her award marking her 25th donation.

She said: “My dad had cancer a long time ago and I was encouraged to give blood then.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t help him, but it did inspire me to give again.”

Donor Lucy Saxton, 29, from Witney, said she was also inspired to give blood by her father but in a different way.

She said: “When I was a kid I used to go along with my dad when he donated.

“We both have O negative blood which is like gold dust apparently, so I’ve been giving for about the past nine years.

“Even though you may not see the person your blood is going to, you just know how important it is to carry on.”

The session is one of hundreds which take place in Oxfordshire each year.

Lesley Young, one of the donor care team for Oxfordshire, said her days were full of touching stories from people about why they decided to give blood.

She said: “A lot of people start donating because someone in their family has had their life saved by a blood transfusion.

“It really brings it home how much it means to people.”

To find out where your nearest session is visit blood.co.uk or to enrol fill in the form linked to this page.

Do you have a story about blood? Call Amanda Williams on 01865 425426 or email her