National Blood Service search for VIPs hits London for Ghana’s Official 52nd Independence Day Celebration

- The red carpet rolls out for Very Important People at the Wembley banqueting Suite on March 7 -

Celebrities are used to the VIP treatment, but how often do the public get a chance to become a `Very Important Person' and make a difference in their local community?

The VIP Appeal is a new campaign by the National Blood Service (NBS) to encourage South Asian, Black African and Black Caribbean communities to give blood and help meet the need for rare blood types within ethnic minority communities.

The VIP Appeal is partnering a series of star-studded concerts and events up and down the country to inform and encourage people to register as blood donors, on March 7 the appeal will be at Wembley Banqueting Suite for Ghana's Official 52nd Independence Day Celebration.

Zeeshan Asghar of the NBS said, “We are encouraging people from the widest communities to come forward to ensure that whenever someone is in need of blood or bone marrow, there is a matching type available. Some blood types are more common within ethnic communities and with bone marrow; you are much more likely to find a match from your own ethnic group. There are also health conditions like Sickle Cell Anaemia and Thalassaemia Major which are prevalent within ethnic communities that need constant supplies of blood. All of these factors show just how important it is for people from all communities to come forward and give blood so we can continue helping those in need.”

Less than three per cent of the total numbers of donors are from ethnic minority backgrounds. This means that on average, just over 200 people from BME communities donate each day across the whole of the UK.

Ghana's Official 52nd Independence Day Celebration, will be bringing together artist and performers from Ghana and the UK under one roof. With comedy show hosted by man of the moment Eddie Kadi, the emerging talent that is Babatunde and veteran comedian Richard Blackwood.

Performances on the night will be from the UK rapper Sway, Funky house phenomenon Doneao and KIG Family who will be performing their club hit 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. Not to be out done there by their British counter parts , there will be live p.a from Ghana's finest Sidney and Castro

So to become a Very Important Person and do something amazing head down to the Ghana's Official 52nd Independence Day Celebration on 7 March and sign up to register as a blood donor. For more information visit www.blood.co.uk/vip or call 0845 7 711 711 quoting reference A05