Charity in search for volunteers to make a difference in vaccine rollout
St John Ambulance is looking for some additional volunteers to join its team as part of the charity’s efforts in support of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
Extra care volunteers and vaccination patient advocates – who look after people before, during and after they receive their injections – are required in the West Midlands.
St John Ambulance’s Peter Shergold is the director responsible for getting more than 30,000 vaccination volunteers recruited and trained.
He has also been spending time on the frontline, including working in vaccination centres near his home in the Midlands.
“This has all been a huge challenge and a real test of our resilience,” he explained.
“However, this is what St John is here for and the result – seeing our people in NHS vaccination centres, caring for people and getting them vaccinated against this terrible virus – makes it all worthwhile.
“Alongside my work, I am proud to have been a vaccination volunteer over the past couple of months; the interactions with members of the members of the public are very brief when you’re delivering an injection, but you can tell what a difference it’s making to them.
“It can be very emotional, and when you’re in the care volunteer or advocate role, you get to hear such wonderful stories and meet some amazing people,” he added.
“For a lot of them, this is the first time they’ve been out in ages, or the key to them getting to see family and friends again one day.
“It’s a real privilege to share those special moments and I can wholeheartedly recommend the experience – this will definitely be something to tell the grandkids about many years from now.”
The available voluntary roles with St John Ambulance are open to anyone between the ages of 16 and 69. A number of other restrictions apply, but full details are available via the application pages online.
Applications need to be submitted as soon as possible so that training can be completed this month.
