The Cardiff Uni Mens Rugby Team have donated over 50 pints of blood to the Welsh blood service

The Cardiff Uni Men's Rugby Club have set up an initiative donating blood to the Welsh Blood Service.

In the past week, the boys have donated over 50 pints of blood, all of which will go straight to those in need of emergency blood donations.

Next year they are hoping the initiative will be even bigger and will be hiring a van to get even more sports clubs and societies to all donate to the cause

Organiser Will Bull told The Tab Cardiff, "we wanted to do it to help out the local community especially with the weather we’ve been having, the Welsh blood service were low on supplies, so being able to get a good squad of boys out to help out is really heartwarming."

According to the Welsh Blood Service, only three per cent of Welsh people donate blood, so Will and the rest of the rugby club are hoping to encourage other teams and societies in Cardiff to donate.

Will said it was a "new experience for a lot of the lads, and they’ve all said they wanted to go again as soon possible, as they’ve found it’s really easy to go and do especially when you have your mates going with you."

Club Chairman Callum Hindle also told us that "it is a great cause and if you have the opportunity it is something you should definitely consider. The teams are always fantastic, answering any queries and looking after you throughout. You even get a nice drink and a biscuit at the end. What more do you want?"

Currently, you can sign up to donate blood at Cardiff Students' Union on the 23rd and 24th of April here.

As well as donating blood, the 18 members of the club signed up to the Bone Marrow Transplant Register, where people can sign up to be tested to see if they are a match to those in need of a transplant.

Social Secretary Harvey Boothroyd was one of those who signed up to be part of the list and told us "Despite only a small percentage of the population finding a match it is good to see so many boys interested in helping others, and with it being so easy we encourage those that are able to get involved as much as possible."

If you would like to sign up to donate blood you can click here for more information, and to find out more about being part of the bone marrow transplant register you can click here.