SOLDIERS rolled up their sleeves to help save more lives after being touched by one of their squad’s stories.

A team of 13 soldiers from 457 Battery Royal Artillery, on Millbrook Road, wanted to help reserve gunner Sophie Baker after her mother fell ill.

Sophie, from the New Forest, wanted to help her mother after she developed diverticula disease, which is a digestive conditions that affect the large intestine, and needed five units of blood.

However the 22-year-old was unable to donate herself but in order to give something back she enlisted the help of her fellow soldiers.

“I thought to myself, ‘if I can’t donate then there must be other ways to donate’,” Sophie, who has served since April 2017, said.

“I spoke to my chain in command and then spoke to the troops.

“As troops we all agree it’s a great way to give back to our local community.

“Blood donation is important to us, we all considered the lifesaving potential it has on both military and civilian, and who knows, it may save one of our lives one day.”

NHS Blood and Transplant needs around 200,000 new donors every year to maintain the supply for life-saving blood donations.

The blood donated is used to treat critically ill patients, whether they have had cancer or other blood disorders, been in an accident, having surgery or after childbirth.

Some of the soldiers who donated were doing so for the first time, when they visited the Southampton Donor Centre to give blood.

One of those was Sergeant Major Stephen Gallivan.

He said: “Firstly, as a solider I am only too aware of the need for lifesaving blood donations.

“Secondly, this gives me, as a member of the military, a chance to give back to a very supportive community.”