Tinder joins forces with NHS Blood and Transplant to encourage users to become organ donors

'Joining the register takes only a couple of minutes – about the same amount of time as a few swipes on Tinder'

Jamie Laing's bespoke Tinder profile featuring The Wait campaign logo (Tinder/NHS Blood and Transplant)

Those who log onto Tinder over the next two weeks may find they are encouraged to sign up to the Organ Donor Register.

NHS Blood and Transplant and the dating app are trying to inform 18 to 35-year-olds about the importance of organ donation.

The message will be channelled through three celebrities: Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, Olympic gold medallist Jade Jones and Emmerdale actress Gemma Oaten.

All three have had a bespoke Tinder profile created for them featuring the logo of The Wait - a campaign launched by the NHS in November as a 14-hour film showing a day in the life of someone waiting for a suitable organ.

Users who match with these profiles will receive the following message: “If only it was that easy for those in need of a life-saving organ to find a match.”

(Tinder/NHS Blood and Transplant)

They will then be encouraged to donate through a link leading them to the NHS Organ Donor Register.

There are currently around 7,000 people on UK transplant waiting list. And of the 49,000 who have been on the list in the last 10 years, 6,000 have died waiting for an organ.

Mr Laing said: "I think it's a fantastic idea: using Tinder, one of the UK's most popular apps, as a platform to help the NHS raise awareness about organ donation and literally save lives! I'm super excited to be a part of this campaign."

Sally Johnson, director of organ donation and transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, hoped the campaign would "throw a spotlight on the importance of organ donation".

“Joining the register takes only a couple of minutes – about the same amount of time as a few swipes on Tinder.”

Hermione Way, Tinder’s head of European communications, said: “While those swiping decisions are important and could be the first step to a successful relationship, we hope that the NHS profiles featuring Jamie, Jade and Gemma will encourage people to make and act upon a different decision too – to sign up as an organ donor.”

Additional reporting by PA