AN AMBULANCE driver has been honoured after donating an impressive 81 pints of blood over five decades.

Weymouth grandfather-of-six Russell Ash, who gave his first pint in the late 1960s, has donated enough to transfuse TEN fully grown men.

And Russell, aged 64, has no plans to stop rolling up his sleeve for the National Blood Service.

After a presentation at Poole’s state-of-the-art RNLI Lifeboat College, he said: “I’ve always thought it was just the right thing to do. When I first donated there was a big advertising push, and barely a year goes by when you don’t hear about the need for more blood.

“In the 60s you could only give two pints, twice a year, but today that has gone up to three pints, three times a year.”

Russell, of St Andrew’s Avenue, Radipole, works as an ambulance care assistant, and transports many people who have benefited from blood donations.

At the award ceremony, on June 11, he received a glass dish marking his efforts.

He said: “I often hear from the paramedics at work, who go out on all the shouts, how much blood is needed after accidents.

“I was a little nervous of needles at first, but now I just don’t think about it at all. It barely takes an hour to donate, yet it can make such a massive difference to someone’s life.”

The National Blood Service collects, tests, processes, stores and issues donations. It needs about 2.1 million blood donations every year.

As well as collecting blood, it delivers blood, blood components, blood products and tissues from 15 centres to anywhere in England and North Wales. It ensures that the blood is properly screened and is safe for patients.

It depends on voluntary donations from the general public. It encourages our donors to give three times a year.

But it also carries out research into improving the safety of blood and provides specialist medical advice and clinical support to hospitals.