... as the number of Mail heroes passes... 20,000
THE number of readers who have signed up to the Daily Mail’s hospital volunteer drive has hit 20,000 in just over a week.
They have kindly pledged their time to help overstretched NHS staff with tasks ranging from picking up prescriptions to befriending or feeding patients.
The biggest British recruitment since the 2012 Olympics will give the health service 1.1 million hours of support from ordinary people.
The NHS already had 7 ,000 ‘unsung heroes’ working as volunteers nationwide. Now that is approaching 100,000.
Backed by both the Archbishop of Canterbury and Rt Rev Anne Dyer, the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, the Christmas appeal has seen people sign up for as little as a day a month, or three hours a week, for a minimum of six months.
So far, almost 12,000 volunteers are pledging three hours a week and another
,547 will help out one day a month. That all adds up to a total of 1,16 ,200 hours.
Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett, chairman of Helpforce, the charity partnering the Mail in our campaign, said: ‘This proves the goodwill of the British people is alive and well. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.’
Pensioner Melvin Louch already helps out once a week at his local hospital, the Queen Alexandra in Portsmouth. Last year staff helped save his life three times when he suffered two heart attacks, a stroke and kidney failure.
‘They were all superb and saved my life,’ said the retired engineer, 75.
‘I wanted to show my gratitude by giving something back.’ He said of our campaign: ‘It’s great – the NHS really needed it right now, so well done to the Daily Mail.
‘Any person who goes into hospital can worry, so to see friendly faces from volunteers really helps. There are so many different things they can do to help.
‘I take flowers donated by Sainsbury’s to the hospital and deliver them to the reception on all seven levels, which I thoroughly enjoy.’
Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs previously praised the campaign, describing it has ‘timely and vital’ to help doctors and nurses get on with their job.
He added: ‘Volunteers may not be qualified but don’t for a minute think they’re not part of the medical wellbeing of our country.’
Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: ‘Volunteers have long been an integral part of the fabric of Scotland’s NHS and make an enormous contribution.’