BLOOD is the thing that unites us all.

Whatever our race, religion or sexuality, we all have the red stuff coursing through our veins.

It was only when I was pregnant that I even gave my blood a second thought.

Before that, along with half the population, I didn't even know what my blood type was.

During a routine blood test during pregnancy I found out that I was A rhesus negative.

It didn't mean a lot to me until my very helpful midwife explained it.

Basically when a woman who is rhesus negative is pregnant she can produce antibodies which can mean the next time she is pregnant those antibodies can attack the baby's red blood cells if they are rhesus positive.

For me it meant that I was a human pin cushion and had even more injections during my regularly check-ups.

After some Googling I saw that there is a short supply of this blood type. I vowed to donate blood once I had given birth to my baby.

It only took me a year and a half and finally I got around to doing it. Babies can be pretty time consuming.

I looked on the NHS Blood and Transplant website and went along to a session on Sunday afternoon. The school hall was crammed full of people waiting to donate and people reclined back in plastic chairs mid donation.

I signed in and was given a form to complete which consisted of a long list of questions on illnesses, allergies, substance use and other things to check off.

I then had a chat with the nurse and a finger prick test and she went through the form. Because I had travelled to the Philippines in January the nurse had to get the form verified to check that I was still able to donate.

Once in the chair a very friendly nurse called Jan got me settled and put the needle into my arm. I felt the needle go in but it wasn't painful and then I just sat back for ten minutes while my blood collected into the bag.

A beeper went off when the blood had been collected and I was sat down again with a drink and a biscuit.

The whole process was so easy and I had a really good feeling inside that I had been able to do something positive. I will be making it part of my routine now and donating every four months.