Big celebration for the helpers
Maidenhead: ‘Thank you’ do for vaccination volunteers
Volunteers and clinicians who have helped to protect us against COVID-19 at the Town Hall were treated to a special celebratory event on Monday evening.
The event was held as a ‘thank you’ to the hundreds of volunteers who gave up their spare time to assist with vaccinations over the past year.
Since the first dose was given to the most vulnerable residents on December 21, 2020, volunteers have assisted in providing more than 103,000 jabs to people from across Maidenhead.
Their roles have ranged from managing the queues and assisting residents to putting on dance shows and even baking cakes.
Helen Todd, 52, was involved in the first shift, and was contacted through the Magpies in the Community setup run by Maidenhead United FC.
The ‘freezing cold’ first shift, which saw the Town Hall doors left open to help with ventilation, saw the most vulnerable residents receive their first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
“Everyone was quite scared, and we didn’t really know what the future held,” said Helen.
“It was a completely different place then.
“But what was so brilliant (was how) right from those first two shifts, the volunteers, vaccinators, doctors and everyone pulled together as a team to support the public.
“It’s just been an amazing experience, it really has.”
Mother and son team, Sue and Scott Kitson, were two of the many volunteers who joined the vaccination programme at the Town Hall.
Scott, 36, said: “I joined as I wanted to give back and do something that felt like I was helping. I looked around, saw the volunteering opportunities and thought that it was local and an opportunity to help the community.
Sue, 67, said that she joined the team shortly after her son when a friend approached her about the programme.
“I love baking, so my friend asked if I could bake some cakes for her shift one Saturday,” said Sue.
“They went down like a treat, and so I thought I would bake some cakes for Scott’s shift the following weekend, and it just developed from there.
“It became a bit of a running joke – someone asked if I was able to make them Bakewell slices, so I was people requesting what they wanted.”
Katrina Christensen, 59, said that she wanted to ‘give something back’ to the NHS after recovering from an illness.
“It’s been one of the most fulfilling things for me. I think I get more out of it than the people who you’re supposed to be here to support.
“99 per cent of people that come through the system are so glad to be here, and so happy to have the vaccine.
“In the early days, they were so glad to talk to somebody other than their immediate group. It’s just been a really wonderful opportunity.”
Vaccinations can still be booked online at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination