Queen praises ‘wonderful’ work of volunteers during pandemic
THE QUEEN has praised the “wonderful work” of volunteers who stepped forward during the pandemic, telling them they have been a “great, great help over this difficult year”.
The 94-year-old monarch, who has been patron of the Royal Voluntary Service for almost 70 years, took part in a video call with the Duchess of Cornwall to thank volunteers from the organisation.
The charity is marking the first anniversary of the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme and more than a million new helpers have signed up since last March.
The Queen told them: “Thankyou very much indeed, very interesting to hear what you (have) been doing, I think it’s wonderful work and I do thank everybody for, and all the others too, who have been volunteering. It’s been a great, great help over this very difficult year.”
Camilla, who is the RVS president, also praised the efforts of the volunteers, saying: “Thank you all very much for all you’ve done throughout the year, throughout the pandemic. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
More than 1.6 million tasks have been carried out by NHS Volunteer Responders under the scheme delivered by the RVS and the GoodSAM app, the Queen and Duchess were told.
Support has included shopping and prescription collection, transport to and from medical appointments, stewarding at vaccination sites and providing “check in and chat calls” for those who are self-isolating, vulnerable or elderly.
A number of Royal women have befriended elderly people as part of the scheme, with the Duchess of Cambridge regularly chatting to Len Gardner, 85, from Batley, West Yorkshire, while the Countess of Wessex speaks to Edna Farley, 89.
The RVS video call came after Doris Winfield, 86, from Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire and who was befriended by Camilla through the check in and chat scheme, died in January.
Ahead of the call this week, the Duchess recalled how she had enjoyed “lots of happy conversations” with Ms Winfield”.