'It's the right thing to do': Northampton man reaches milestone 100th pint of blood donated at the age of just 57

A Northampton man who has consistently given blood since his teens has reached a huge milestone.

Adam Ogden from Kislingbury donated his 100th pint of blood at Bugbrooke Community Centre yesterday (March 22).

At just 57, the Openreach worker has reached the milestone significantly younger than many other donors.

The dad-of-three made his first donation at the age of 19 and he has donated every three months ever since, without missing a donation.

Adam said: “I used to work at Barclaycard in the town centre and they used to have blood donor operators come to them because so many people worked there.

“I was so young at the time and we had never had a death or accident in the family so I had never thought about it before but I went along as it was just something I thought I should do.”

When Adam first donated in the 1980s, he says there were around 3,000 people working at the banking firm, but only around 200 people donated.

He added: “You got time off to do it and it’s so easy, so I just didn’t understand why people wouldn’t. I thought it was quite selfish.

“I have no great medical or religious stance on it, I just think it’s a good thing to do.

“I left Barclaycard about a year and a half later, but once you have donated they write to you so it carried on from there.”

Since then, Adam has donated four times a year in many different locations around the county, without a break, which has led him to rack up the donations and reach the milestone at such a young age.

“The earlier you start the quicker you smash through them,” Adam continued.

“It’s the right thing to do, it doesn’t hurt and it doesn’t take a lot of time, so why not?

“Hopefully it will always save lives or give someone the chance of life, so it’s rewarding in that sense and it gives you that inner satisfaction.”

Adam, who says he has never had an ill feeling from giving blood, is happy to and plans to continue donating for as long as he is allowed to or is able to.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper while out for your essential shopping.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you