Examples of funded projects

Luton Lifelines brings together local people to create a large-scale public artwork in Luton town centre.

A mural has been developed through a series of workshops with community members, faith groups and local organisations. Participants explored their thoughts, experiences and questions around blood and organ donation through drawing and conversation. The final artwork directly incorporates these contributions, featuring drawings and quotes from the community.

This bottom-up approach means the project builds awareness throughout the process, not just through the final artwork. By working closely with communities in familiar and trusted spaces, the project creates opportunities for open and honest conversations about donation.

The mural will be installed on the exterior wall of Luton Central Library, a prominent town centre location next to the Blood Donor Centre, where it will remain in place until at least 2029. A QR code within the artwork will link to an educational webpage, providing clear information about blood and organ donation and how to register.

The project has been delivered in collaboration with community partners including Guru Nanak Gurdwara, St Andrews Church and CYCD Community Centre, as well as support from Luton Council and from the University of Bedfordshire student ambassadors, who have played an active role in community engagement throughout.

Alongside the workshops, the project has contributed to wider awareness through local media and events. This included coverage during on ITV news during Organ Donation Week, as well as a feature on Inspire FM’s News and Culture Show alongside Councillor Fatima Begum and community partners, helping to reach wider audiences across Luton.

ACLT is delivering a London-focused project using comedic drama skits - called One Drop, a prequel and sequel - to tackle myths, fears and misinformation about blood donation within Black communities.

In the first year, funding focused on launching and amplifying One Drop, a culturally resonant comedy skit designed to shift attitudes through entertainment-led storytelling. This was promoted through social media, influencer engagement, high-profile screenings and community events.

In the second year, a prequel was developed in response to community feedback, with continued screenings of the series expanding outreach across schools and universities, while strengthening myth-busting and donor education. Through relatable storytelling, the project aims to increase donor registrations and build long-term confidence among potential donors.

ACLT has also hosted events in creative venues, including the “What’s Your Blood Type” pop-up, demonstrating innovative approaches to audience engagement. They continue to work closely with Black-led community, faith, cultural, corporate and youth groups, while pioneering regular group donation bookings through their One Drop Saturdays initiative - established ahead of NHS Blood and Transplant's Group Booking scheme and now aligned with it to drive engagement

The One Drop Saturdays initiative has established a sustainable monthly model, positioning blood donation as a social experience to share with friends and family, shifting the narrative from individual obligation to community celebration. These events have driven strong participation and created a replicable model now being extended to other London blood centres and partner organisations.

ACLT have also been featured in national media coverage (ITV Good Morning Britain and the Daily Mirror) which provided mainstream visibility that complemented the grassroots community engagement.

Quote from the project team:

"We saw influencer partnerships lead to exponential reach through 90s Baby, Simply Sayo and others who were seen as trusted voices within the community.

"Through collaborations the One Drop message was further amplified leading to a collective audience of 605,202, significantly extending reach and awareness beyond ACLT's owned channels.

"This would not have been possible without access to Brixton Blood Centre and having autonomy to design culturally welcoming events. These partnerships also allowed us to be playful in messaging around blood donation which proved to be more impactful."

Vanik Council’s project focused on living kidney donation.

This project has run seminars for community members, with experts talking about the kidney donation process, risks, benefits, and recovery expectations to ensure donors make informed decisions. These talks have helped raise awareness about living kidney donation, addressing misconceptions, and advocating for improved resources and support for donors.

The team have also attended community gatherings to hand out leaflets and have conversations with attendees about donation. They continue to plan awareness programmes around living kidney donation within the community, through seminars, community gatherings, places of worship and social media.

Another great initiative from this project is the GP surgery awareness programme. As part of this programme, a dedicated promoter spends 3 hours in each surgery involved each week, explaining the need of living kidney donation to attendees, distributing leaflets, and keeping a log of patients/visitors they converse with, raising interest in living donations amongst the people visiting the surgeries.

A peer support scheme is also being developed as part of this project. The team are hoping to connect patients waiting for a living donation with those who have already donated or received a living kidney, allowing them to share experiences and provide guidance to those waiting for a donation.

Quotes from the project team:

“The NHSBT Community Grants team have been very helpful during our process for projects funding. We are hoping to work in collaboration with NHSBT with all the relevant ongoing programmes and all the future programmes.”

“The favourite part of our project was the testimonials and stories of the recipients, donors and their families. Their stories and videos have inspired the community members at large.”

“Our drive and passion to get more Live Kidney Donors within our community has attracted two individuals who are considering living donation.”

We Are Donors delivers blood and organ donation programmes in schools and universities across the UK, focusing on areas with high ethnic minority populations. Their blood donation work engages young people aged 18–25 from Black heritage backgrounds through university events, student ambassadors and partnerships with African and Caribbean societies.

By combining culturally relevant educational content with in-person and digital campaigns, the project raises awareness and encourages participation in donation. It is supported by a volunteer-led national steering committee of students, doctors and young professionals.

The project demonstrates that young donors can play a vital role in spreading awareness within their communities, helping to create broader cultural acceptance and understanding of the importance of organ and blood donation.

They have also taken an innovative approach to engaging young people through Cell Jump, a mobile game designed to highlight key issues in blood donation in a fun and accessible way. Featuring multiple levels and a national leaderboard, the game explores the uses of donated blood and the need for more young donors. It launched in Spring 2026. Download on Google Play Store

Alongside this, they developed an award-winning animated film to communicate key life-saving messages, reaching a wide audience and further extending the project’s impact.

Watch the film on YouTube

We Are Donors also worked with ACS, Black Medics Society, Give Blood 4 Good, and other societies to reach more university students of Black African and Caribbean heritage and engage them in conversations about blood and organ donation. They created engaging content across their platforms, including personal stories from student volunteers and individuals with lived experience of sickle cell disease.

Quotes from the project team:

"Young donors are crucial in spreading awareness and promoting equitable access to life-saving donations across all communities. Our programme empowers them to educate their peers and make a real difference."

"Thank you to everyone who has supported We Are Donors in our work this year, including NHS partners, community groups, and volunteers, and to the NHSBT Community Grants Programme, without which we would not be able to do this work."

Akanji Studio’s project uses art and poetry to spark powerful conversations around health, donation and health equity. The exhibitions showcase culturally resonant creative work by Rizzy, exploring themes of sickle cell, blood donation and community.

Working in partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant, the exhibitions create meaningful opportunities for people to understand the urgent need for greater participation in blood donation, particularly within communities most affected.

Through powerful storytelling and sickle cell–inspired artwork—grounded in Rizzy’s lived experience—the project connects with audiences on a deeply personal level, inspiring reflection, shifting perceptions and encouraging action.

Alongside the exhibitions, panel discussions with healthcare professionals and community leaders, as well as a dynamic digital campaign of live-streams, artist interviews and interactive sessions, helped extend the project’s reach and deepen engagement.

A key milestone for the project was the month-long exhibition at Boxpark in Shoreditch and Croydon during Sickle Cell Awareness Month, which attracted thousands of visitors and led to a significant number of blood donor sign-ups, demonstrating the power of culturally relevant, community-led approaches to drive real change.

Quote from the project team:

"The Camden exhibition extended our reach into North London, offering local residents’ free access to the "Children of the Sun with Moon Crescent Blood" collection.

"This added a significant educational component to our efforts, making the complex realities of sickle cell disease more accessible and understandable to a broader audience."