NHS calls for more steward volunteers in North Kirklees to help boost Covid-19 immunity across Yorkshire

Currently, Yorkshire as a whole needs 400 more steward volunteers to step forward and support local vaccination sites, to bolster the immunity of priority groups including, those clinically at risk and people aged 50 and over.

Two sites in north Kirklees are looking for steward volunteers – Cleckheaton Town Hall on Bradford Road and the Batley and Spen Vaccination Centre on Talbot Street.

Steward volunteers will help support NHS staff at vaccination sites with non-clinical tasks, including ensuring efficient and safe movement of patients through the process and identifying people who require additional support.

Glynne Browne, an NHS volunteer responder steward for Yorkshire, said: “It’s just a really friendly atmosphere, we exchange recipes and keep in touch.

“I’m doing around four shifts a week and I will definitely continue, especially with the current booster roll-out ongoing.

“The doctors, vaccinators, pharmacists and patients are all so grateful, thankful and appreciative.

“If you get the chance to be a steward volunteer, jump at it. It’s incredibly rewarding, it’s lovely.”

NHS Volunteer Responders was launched at the start of the pandemic by NHS England and is delivered by Royal Voluntary Service and the innovative mobile app GoodSAM.

Through the programme, volunteers have responded to more than 2.2 million requests for help with tasks such as shopping, fetching medication, telephone befriending, patient transport and have collectively completed over 300,000 shifts at vaccination sites to date.

For more information on how to become a volunteer, visit nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk