Volunteer in act of kindness

PEOPLE IN England are being urged to volunteer as a scheme to help the NHS and the vulnerable has been extended after registering one million “acts of kindness”.

The NHS Volunteer Responders scheme was launched in March to provide support after the first lockdown was announced.

In the programme commissioned by NHS England, volunteers help people in need, including those who have been advised to shield, have caring responsibilities or are self-isolating, as well as frontline health and care staff.

Around 360,000 people have volunteered so far, providing shopping and medication deliveries, giving lifts to medical appointments or making friendly telephone calls to those at risk of loneliness.

These responders have since hit the milestone of performing one million tasks to help the NHS and those in need due to the pandemic.

As the scheme has seen an increase in requests for help, it has been extended until the end of March 2021.

More members of the public are being asked to join up, and existing volunteers are being asked to sign back “on duty” for the programme, run in partnership with the Royal Voluntary Service charity.

Volunteers will be able to help within their communities and local NHS, including helping to run large flu vaccination clinics.

Ruth May, England’s chief nursing officer, praised the efforts and said: “This programme has been a real success, with tens of thousands of people already benefiting from more than a million simple but important acts of kindness from volunteer responders.”

To volunteer apply at nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk and those who need support can contact 0808 196 3646.

EMAIL: Tell us who has supported you: yoursay@halifaxcourier.co.uk