An Aberystwyth man is celebrating being one of Wales’ longest serving blood donors, after giving his 100th donation.

Paul Lawlor, a 54-year-old care assistant, attended a ceremony organised by the Welsh Blood Service in Lampeter.

The event marked his outstanding life-saving contribution, and he was one of only 34 donors celebrated at the ceremony.

He was joined by two other donors who have also reached the landmark 100 donations milestone.

Commenting at the awards ceremony, Paul said: “My wife Tina, a registered nurse, who is also a blood donor, asked if I could take her place when she was unable to donate one day.

“I didn’t hesitate to give blood, that was back in the 1980s and I have been regularly donating ever since.

“That simple act has potentially saved 300 lives over the years and I want to take this opportunity to personally thank Tina for setting me on my lifesaving journey.

“The Welsh Blood Service staff are so friendly and are always there to help you. If you are considering becoming a blood donor, there’s opportunities all across Wales for you to start donating.

“It doesn’t take long, in under an hour you can be in and out, knowing you may have saved three patients’ lives. The positive feeling you get after you make a donation knowing you could have helped people in need is second to none.

“If you are not able to give blood yourself you can still make a difference by encouraging others to step forward and become a donor like my wife did with me.”

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now