After National Blood Week, it’s great to see an emphasis on giving blood continue. In case you missed it – during National Blood Week (June 8th – 14th), brands and retailers showed their support by removing the letters that make up the main blood groups – A, O and B – from their logos and mastheads. Alongside this, the hashtag #MissingType was created to further drive awareness. Brands could show their support via this hashtag and tweet photographs of their logos. Others took to removing the letters from their Twitter name too. The week-long campaign was a massive success and delivered 30,000 new blood donors in a single week. 40% fewer new blood donors came forward across England and North Wales to give blood last year in comparison to a decade ago, so this is excellent news.

One of the country’s biggest and most popular music festivals kicks off this week and there the focus on giving blood will continue. Last week, the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) announced its partnership with and plans for this year’s Glastonbury Festival.

There, the NHSBT will host an immersive activity that will offer festival-goers to perform as a headliner at the popular festival. On a specially-constructed ‘Drop stage’, fans will be encouraged to share their experience across social media using the hashtag #headlineact. The organisation will also encourage guests to sign up to become a blood donor as well.

Other charities such as Oxfam, Greenpeace and WaterAid will also be joining NHSBT by activating at the festival too.