A CAMPAIGN by The Press to boost organ donation rates could be used as a springboard for similar drives nationwide.

Politicians across the country are being asked to back our Lifesavers campaign and to see if they could take similar steps in their areas.

The campaign aims to improve awareness of organ donation and to get an extra 20,000 people in our area to join the register this year.

Andrew Waller, leader of City of York Council, has now written to councils across England, alerting them to the campaign and encouraging them to support it.

Neville Patten, leader of Wolverhampton City Council, said: “I am very happy to support this campaign.”

He said he would raise the matter with the council’s chief executive Simon Warren to try to get cross-party support.

Rob Vincent, chief executive of Kirklees Council, said he would notify all staff of the campaign and encourage them to join the national donor register.

His Bradford counterpart Tony Reeves – who donated a kidney to his wife – also praised the campaign.

Our drive was launched in December, following the death of 22-year-old Miss York finalist Emma Young. She died while awaiting a double lung transplant.

For more information on organ donation or to join the register, phone 0300 1232323 or visit organdonation.nhs.uk or text SAVE to 84118.