Here to help

The ‘NHS Volunteer Responders’ scheme is seeking new members across the UK. The NHS Volunteer Responders service will continue until at least March 2021.

The volunteers support people who are vulnerable because of Covid-19, and anyone who needs to self-isolate as a result of the virus. They deliver food, medication and other essentials to people’s homes, and also support NHS organisations with goods deliveries.

NHS volunteers help people:

• avoid busy places by collecting their shopping, medicines and other important items.
• have regular contact with other people by making friendly phone calls.
• get to medical appointments by giving lifts.

Norma is 93-years-old and although she is usually well and able, she had an accident before lockdown, which left her unable to walk. Norma contacted her local authority, who put her in touch with the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme.

‘After my accident, I was unable to leave the house at all and I was desperate for food and help,’ said Norma. ‘I had nowhere to turn, so when the council pointed me in the direction of the volunteer service, it was absolutely life changing.

‘I can’t praise the volunteers enough – they are kind, honest, cheerful and happy to help and they make me feel like nothing is too much trouble. I could go on for hours about the ways the scheme helped me, and I have been overwhelmed by the support.’

The app-based scheme enables volunteers to mark themselves on or off duty depending on their availability, making it easy to fit volunteering around other commitments.

For more information and to sign up, visit the NHS Volunteer Responders website.