STAFF from the Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust are taking to Barnstaple town centre to encourage more local people to join the Organ Donor Register.

The Trust is holding a stand in the High Street from 10am to 4pm on Friday 11 July and Saturday 12 July.

Sarah Fuller, specialist nurse for organ donation, will be on hand with other Trust staff to answer questions and assist the public to sign up to the register.

They will also be giving out leaflets and promotional items including T-shirts, pens, stickers and fluffy bugs.

The event is one of the activities the Trust is leading as part of National Transplant Week 2014, which takes place from 7 to 13 July.

Sarah said: “While the vast majority of us would accept an organ if we needed a life-saving transplant, less than a third of the UK population have joined the Organ Donor Register.

“Around 10,000 people in the UK currently need a transplant and each day three will die because there aren’t enough organs available.

“National Transplant Week gives us a great opportunity to raise awareness of this very important issue and we look forward to seeing lots of people in Barnstaple and helping them to sign up to the register.”

This year’s campaign revolves around the message “Spell it out!” and the importance of letting your family know you want to be a donor when you die.

The Trust has raised awareness of organ donation by visiting schools in Northern Devon to give out free teaching packs.

The packs also cover blood, tissue and plasma donation and are suitable for religious studies, biology and personal and social education.

Local branches of Boots and Asda, through its Bags for Life campaign, are supporting the Trust during National Transplant Week.

The Trust has also been raising awareness at Barnstaple Rugby Club with the help of promotional T-shirts.

To join the Organ Donor Register: