Volunteer call to help NHS during lockdown

People are being urged to vo lu nte e r fo r at l ea s t a n hour a week to help the NHS during the difficult coronavirus winter period.

The Royal Voluntary Service, one of Britain's largest volunteering charities, has said thousands of volunteers will be required to protect the NHS by supporting the most vulnerable patients to stay safe and well.

It encouraged people to engage in tasks such as helping with shopping, food deliveries, prescription collections and making friendly phone calls to at-risk people.

The call comes as research shows more than 4.9million over 50s – many with health conditions and without family nearby - say they would benefit from volunteer help this winter, with 54% worried about a second Covid-19 peak.

The NHS Volunteer Responders scheme in England has continued to run throughout the summer since its launch in April and is now seeing an increase in requests for help from the public and the NHS.

Chief executive of the Royal Voluntary Service, Catherine Johnstone, said: "Britain faces a very difficult winter, with coronavirus cases rising and res tr i c t i o n s t i g htening, we must expect there will be many vulnerable people needing volunteer support over the coming months.

"People are already worn down by the virus and are desperate for normality but we must steel ourselves to come together again to support the most vulnerable.

"We are today making an urgent appeal, please support the Covid response by volunteering."

People can apply at nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk.