If you have driven past the Harpenden Public Halls at any point recently, the chances are that you would have noticed the Harpenden Trust team in their purple tabards ready to welcome those invited to receive their first Covid-19 vaccination. The Harpenden Trust has been busy over the past couple of months, working closely with the doctors' surgeries in the local area to ensure everything runs smoothly at the Harpenden vaccination centre.
On putting out an appeal to the local community to come forward and volunteer to help deliver this, the Trust were overwhelmed at the huge response, with over 600 offers of assistance in just one week! Two formal references were required for those new to (and joining) the Trust, DBS checks were completed at the GP Federation’s request, and then all these offers of help could be organised into a weekly rota, covering four time slots each day, Monday through Saturday. Volunteer roles have been broad, covering areas such as both indoor and outdoor marshalling, administration support at the main entrance desk and staffing the post-vaccination Observation Room.
Richard Nichols, Chairman of the Harpenden Trust, said, “It has been such an amazing community response and a joy to have been part of. On behalf of the Harpenden Trust, I would like to say a big thank you to the huge number of local residents who stepped forward following our appeal for help to support the vaccination process in Harpenden. It has been a huge project to manage but has been made substantially easier with the help of our fantastic volunteers, both new and old. We are so pleased to have played our small part in supporting our local GP practices and local residents through this critical period.”
The Harpenden Trust were also delighted to receive some great news coverage from Matt Adams at the Herts Advertiser (28 January 2020), showcasing the positive reactions to the vaccination process in Harpenden and the Harpenden Trust team. You can read The Herts Advertiser piece at Praise for NHS staff and volunteers for coronavirus vaccine | Herts Advertiser.
In the picture above Harpenden Trust volunteers provide a warm welcome outside the Harpenden Vaccination centre.
Harpenden Trust Chairman, Richard Nichols, supporting the volunteer team at the Harpenden vaccination centre (in all weathers!)
Inside the vaccination centre at Harpenden Public Halls
A Harpenden Trust volunteer clearly visible at the vaccination centre wearing PPE
10 February 2021