Funding to help get more blood donors

COMMUNITY groups and organisations across the West Midlands can get a share of £600,000 Government funding to deliver projects encouraging more people of Black and Asian heritage to become blood and organ donors.

A total of 51 community groups and organisations across England and Wales have already received a share of £600,000 funding as part of the Government’s commitment to continue to tackle health inequalities and promote blood and organ donation among Black and Asian communities.

The Community Grants Programme, led by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), is dedicated to funding projects led by community, faith, or belief organisations to inspire greater awareness and support for donation.

The NHSBT say more donors are urgently needed because a shortage of donors from Black and Asian backgrounds means patients of these ethnicities can have worse outcomes. Donors and recipients from the same ethnic background are more likely to be a match.

NHSBT can only provide the best matched blood for people with sickle cell around half the time.

Sickle cell is the fastest growing genetic condition in the UK. It is more prevalent in people from Black African or Black Caribbean backgrounds and The NHS needs a record 250 blood donations a day to treat people with sickle cell.

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People from Black, Asian, Mixed or Other minority ethnic backgrounds make up one third of all people on the transplant waiting list, due to the difficulties finding a match and are likely to wait longer as a result.

The Community Grants Programme has shown that enabling grassroots organisations to champion organ and blood donation in a culturally relevant way increases awareness and engagement, helping move towards greater health equality and a more diverse donor base.

After a call for applications earlier this year, a total of £600,000 has been distributed among community-based projects across England and Wales.

As part of NHSBT’s commitment to investing in impactful projects, the programme now offers two-year grants, a shift from the usual one-year funding cycle.

One example of the many organisations receiving funding is RAFFA International Development Agency, a Birmingham based non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting social action.

Angela Clarke chief executive of RAFFA International Development Agency, expressed her enthusiasm: “We are delighted to have secured funding through NHSBT’s Community Grant Programme.

“Our project is designed to promote blood donation awareness and encourage higher donor participation within Black African and Caribbean populations in faith communities.

“By providing education and information, RAFFA emphasises the culturally specific health benefits and shares success stories to help individuals make informed decisions about blood donation.”

Umar Malik, NHS Blood and Transplant’s Community Funding Manager, said: “We have seen first-hand the abilities of trusted individuals and community groups to prompt conversation, tackle misinformation, educate, and offer reassurance around donation.

“Often a person’s best donor match will share their ethnicity, but too many donation opportunities are missed because families haven’t discussed organ donation.

“In the last year, strides have been made in Black blood donor representation thanks to projects like these, but more are still needed due to the growing need from sickle cell patients.”

“We are really excited to work with these grassroots champions to address inequalities and help save more lives.”

For more about the Community Grants Programme click here or email [email protected].