Three books of certificates recognising blood donations from Bernard John Clifton (dated 25/11/1948 to 10/12/1953 with 21 certificates; 13/10/1960 to 6/10/1978 with 34 certificates; 6/10/1978 to 26/09/1981 with 8 cerfiticates), two blood donation pins, one from the National Blood Service recognising 50 donations and one recongising 50 donations, a blood transfusion card, and a letter dated 19 November 1984 informing him that as he was 70 years old, he would no longer being able to donate, all from the National Blood Transfusion Service, England, 1948-1984

Two years after the founding of the National Blood Transfusion Service in 1946, Bernard John Clifton gave his first blood donation. Over 40 years he gave 63 pints of blood. Men with O negative blood are often in demand as only their whole blood can be used for transfusions for newborns. Parts of other blood types can be used, but only if they test negative for a virus, CMV, which is harmless to adults but harmful to newborns.

Only 8% of the United Kingdom’s population have O negative blood. Anyone can receive their blood in a transfusion. Blood transfusions in the United Kingdom rely solely on volunteers. In 1946 with the founding of the National Blood Transfusion Service there were 270,000 volunteers.