For William Duncan, what began as a student dare has become a lifelong passion for giving.

The Camp Mountain resident has donated blood on more than 250 occasions, the first time as a teenager during an inter-faculty competition at university.

“It was a simple competition, it was an exercise in going and doing something for commemoration at university in 1967,” Mr Duncan said.

“We all thought we were tougher than everybody else so we charged up to the refectory and we all donated blood.”

Mr Duncan insists his initial apprehension about needles was needless.

“Nobody’s comfortable with having something stuck into them, but once you get the hang of that and realise the girls that do it are pretty good at what they do – it’s their livelihood – you just sit there and say ‘here comes anther hole’,” he said.

The 63-year-old now donates blood platelets and plasma fortnightly because “it seems to be a sensible thing to do.”

“We get a lot from the community and it’s an opportunity to give some back,” he said.

“Thus far I haven’t needed (to receive) blood but there’s a big pile of people out there who have.

Mr Duncan was one of hundreds of blood donors who received a Milestone Donor Award at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 24 July.

The celebrations rounded out National Blood Donor Week, which recognises the life-saving contributions of just three per cent of Australians who donate blood regularly.

To donate blood phone 13 14 95 to make an appointment or visit http://www.donateblood.com.au/