Giving blood - appointment cancelled?

[Merrychristmasyoufilthyanimals]

Just had a text to say we have had to cancel appointment for blood i was due to donate on Sunday. This is the 2nd time I have had this happen now (I've given blood 3x succesfully in the past)
Its stressed that this time of year stocks are low etc but it seems so hard to actually be a donor?

Has anyone else had this before?

Often they have to cancel if a staff member is not there. Last time I donated they wee running an hour behind, simply because one member had to go home ill.

We went once to be told the session was cancelled as they had run out of alcohol wipes. Ridiculous.

Really cookie?
I know its just one of those things but in a way you kind of have to plan a your day around it etc.

It does seem really hard to be a donor - I have tried a few times, but you can only book six months ahead in my area. A while ago, when there was an urgent call for 0negs, I phoned up and was told to go along to a donation venue nearby, but when I got there was told I couldn't give because they hadn't any spare appointments. It's very frustrating!

Other countries don't operate blood donation like this, and it's much easier to turn up and give. For comparison, I just put a random zip code into the US Red Cross blood donation website (37027) and there are four venues within a few streets of each other, where I can donate in the next week.

Never had an appointment cancelled and have booked way beyond 6 months in advance. Donated 11 times now. I even had a call a few months ago from the priorities team essentially saying that if there was a full session and I wanted to go to call them and they would get me in (O neg). I have been frustrated in the past finding appropriate sessions though so there are plenty of times I would have donated more often if I could have. There are a few permanent centres around. Maybe call them up and find out where your nearest one is.

This pop up donation centre is pretty much across the road from where i live, the last location before that was a pop blood donation was across the road from where I work and i was booked in for when i finished work. So the 2 cancellations have been annoying!