A COUPLE celebrated Valentine's Day by giving blood together.

Lucy and Greg Shaw, from Bingley, regularly donate together and made a trip to the Bradford Blood Donor Centre earlier today to make the romantic occasion.

Each donation can save up to three lives, so their gesture could save up to six lives.

Lucy, 42, who runs a fashion business, said: “It just so happened that the next date I could donate fell on Valentine’s Day. I messaged Greg and told him I’d sorted Valentine’s Day for us.”

Greg, 41, a graphic designer, added: “We just donate because even if you can’t change the world you can still change someone’s life by donating blood.”

The couple met through work and married in 2006, going on to have three children: Red, 11, Stirling, nine, and Monroe, seven.

The children are “proud” that their parents are blood donors and sometimes join them at appointments.

Men can give blood every 12 weeks and women can give blood every 16 weeks to protect their iron levels.

Lucy and Greg usually co-ordinate their appointments for the same day.

Lucy has O negative blood – a priority blood type. O negative blood is the universal blood type that can be given to anyone in an emergency. Only eight per cent of the population is O negative but it makes up 14 per cent of the blood used by hospitals.

She started donating first and has given blood 15 times, and she encouraged Greg to start – he has donated six times and has O positive blood.

“We’d seen adverts for blood donation and thought if we can donate, we should," said Lucy.

"It’s a simple thing to do on our part, just give an hour of our time every three to four months."

There is a dedicated Donor Centre in Bradford at Kenburgh House, 28a Manor Row, Bradford, Donor Centres are open for longer hours on weekdays and at weekends.

  • You can make, view and change appointments by calling 0300 123 23 23, using the GiveBlood app, or going online at www.blood.co.uk