The stars who urge YOU to give a helping hand
CELEBRITIES have thrown their weight behind the Daily Mail’s NHS volunteer recruitment drive.
Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Tom Jones, Joanna Lumley and Chris Evans are among the famous faces encouraging g readers to spare just a few hours to give e our hospitals a helping hand.
Sir Tom praised the Health Service and its s volunteers as a ‘world-beating example of f the essential kindness and compassion of f the British conscience’.
Endorsing the Daily Mail’s campaign with the charity Helpforce, Sir Tom said volunteers had helped him fight tuberculosis at 12, adding: ‘As a child with TB, they gave me e and my family the best care available.
‘Providing personal support with nursing g and assistance with home schooling, I’m m sure there’d have been a different outcome for me if that level of care wasn’t there.’
Miss Lumley said volunteers were ‘the backbone of the community’, adding: ‘It will be a privilege to be part of this enterprise.’
The campaign is also backed by singers Alfie Boe, Aled Jones and Russell Watson, as well as TV’s Kate Garraway, Simon Cowell and Davina McCall.
Here, some of the stars give their endorsement of our scheme:
JOANNA LUMLEY: ‘The combination of Helpforce and the Daily Mail will be a smash hit.
‘Ordinary, non-skilled people like me, who just want the best for all those who are sick and suffering, and for all those who care for them, can roll up our sleeves and help. ‘It is a thrilling and innovative idea. ‘Long ago I realised that volunteers are the backbone of the community, and when that community is the NHS, the chance to shoulder some of their burden will be greeted with open arms.
‘It will be a privilege to be part of this enterprise, and it makes me proud to think of us all joining together to lend a helping hand right across the nation.’
SIR TOM JONES: ‘The NHS is about its people and the service they provide, no matter how small that service may seem.
‘The voluntary force is crucial to the success of this network, and the many small acts of kindness they contribute add up to an immeasurable gift to all who
have suffered the many complications of illness. Please, think about joining Helpforce this Christmas.’
DJ CHRIS EVANS: ‘There is nothing that can lift a person’s mood, raise a human being’s spirit, or simply reboot our system more than helping others.
‘Contributing and caring to the happiness and wellbeing of others is mentally and physically good for the mind, body, soul and spirit.
‘So what’s on offer here is a 100 per cent win-win situation – an initiative that ticks all the good karma boxes.
‘In fact, you may even discover that anyone who ends up volunteering for this scheme ends up benefitting as much as the hospitals, clinics and day care centres they eventually end up helping at.
‘They say the best way to get love is to give love. Who would not want to experience a bit of that in our spare time?’
SIR CLIFF RICHARD: ‘I whole-heartedly commend this Christmas venture.
‘It is completely what Christmas should
be about – giving love and care to those who are in need.’
PIERS MORGAN, broadcaster: ‘This is a brilliant campaign that will offer a huge boost to the NHS at a time when it so desperately needs extra pairs of hands. Britain’s always been a caring, volunteering nation, and this is a great chance for people to show what the world’s greatest health service means to them.’
‘GINGER SPICE’ GERI HORNER: ‘I’m backing the Daily Mail’s Christmas campaign to encourage people to sign up to Helpforce to volunteer their time to help out at their local hospital and support the NHS staff who we rely on. Whether it’s being on hand at A&E, helping to collect medication or simply being a supportive ear for patients, just a few hours of your time could make a difference.’