BLOOD donors from the Asian community have banded together to help those in need.

For many years the NHS has been emphasising the need for people from ethnic backgrounds to become donors.

In Bolton, steps are being made to encourage people to become a registered donor.

Last week one of the town's Hindu temples became the centre of activity as hundreds turned up for a blood drive.

Bringing the NHS Blood team into the heart of the community has helped to push up the numbers. The organiser of the event at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple, Kausik Vekaria, aged 35, was donating blood on the day.

He said: "There are not a lot of Asian people giving blood, and I don't know why, so that is why we organised this event.

"It is not against our religion, otherwise we would not be holding it.

"Most of the people who have come today are members of the temple and from the Bolton community.

"We also have a temple in London and it too is holding a blood donation event today. It shows how important it is to the community.

"We are very pleased with the number of people who have turned up and we have plans to make this a regular event."

The temple has anywhere between 300 to 400 members and last held a blood donation drive back in 2000. It plans to hold another on November 1.

Sewa Day, in partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant, launched the new campaign to encourage more people from the south Asian communities to come forward and register as blood and organ donors.

Since running events it has seen a marked increase in the number of Asians in Bolton registering to donate blood.

Manjula Vekaria, aged 57 from Kearsley, decided to donate on the day.

She said: "I did it because I believe it is good thing to do to help others. I have not given blood for a very long time so decided to do so again today.

"I don't think many people who have not been brought up here, and have come from places such as India, are aware of blood donation.

"Holding this event in the temple is a good way of reaching people and its a place they know and feel comfortable in.

"When I donated I didn't feel anything, just a scratch, and you shouldn't feel afraid of the needle. I have already signed up to donate again next time."

According to Sewa Day, only three percent of donors in the past 12 months have come from black or Asian heritage, despite representing around 14 percent of the population.

However, 25 percent of Asians have blood group B, compared to just nine percent among western Europeans.

Chairman Bharat Vadukul added: "People from South Asian communities have contributed generously in many ways in making UK their home.

"Around 14 percent of the population of England are black or South Asian but less than three percent of people who have given blood in the past 12 months are from these communities.

"Black and South Asian donors are more likely to have rare blood types and require these rare types so it is essential that we have more blood donors from these communities."

NHS Blood also highlight the need for blood from Asian donors due to the prevalence of thalassaemia and sickle cell disease, which most commonly affect people within the black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

Thalassaemia is an inherited condition which sees people develop little or no haemoglobin, the substance vital to helping carry oxygen through the blood.

It is estimated that 1,000 people in the UK have the condition, and patients need regular blood transfusions to stay alive.

Richard Shortland, Regional Head of Blood Donation Marketing, praised the event in Bolton for helping create more life savers.

He said: "The session was a fantastic success and we thank Sewa Day, the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Mandir, and everyone who donated.

"Half of the people who gave blood were first time donors. Blood donation saves lives and we hope our new donors feel inspired to keep coming back.

"There are many south Asian people who actively donate blood but we need more. Blood from donors with a similar ethnic background can provide the best match and one day it could be someone you love who needs a transfusion."

To find out more or to register as a donor visit www.blood.co.uk.