WI members supporting the NHS vaccination programme
The WI is known for its passion for volunteering, with members often lending their time to get involved in the local community and charitable projects, both as WIs and as individuals. With the Covid-19 vaccine rollout now underway, WI members all over the UK have again been using their volunteering skills to support the vaccination programme, which will ultimately help in saving lives and getting us back to normality.
Meet some of these members below and find out what kind of roles they’re playing to help the NHS vaccination programme!
Moyra Livesey, Rylstone and District WI, North Yorkshire West Federation
Moyra Livesey, Rylstone and District WI member and one of the original Calendar Girls, is proud to have three generations working to help the NHS vaccination programme. Moyra is a vaccinator and has also been volunteering to help with data inputting. Her daughter Dr Deborah Livesey is a GP and works at the vaccination centre and her granddaughter Katie is a patient data inputter. All three are pictured above with Moyra in the middle – a cross-generational family effort to support the NHS.
Cliviger and Worsthorne WI, Lancashire Federation
Pictured above are Cliviger and Worsthorne WI members Chris Taylor and Janette Bamber who are vaccination centre volunteers. Janette shared her experience volunteering at the centre where she is currently doing 5-6 hour shifts, 4 days a week. In their local vaccination hub, there are seven stations manned by volunteers. Starting at reception, volunteers advise people on parking, ask them some screening questions, take their temperature and name and register them in on the surgery list. They then move in for their vaccination and are guided to the free side rooms manned by NHS staff and finally to a rest room for 15 minutes before being guided back out. Volunteers had to undergo an induction and some online training and have a lateral flow Covid-19 test every 4 days.
Alyson Calvert, Beverley WI, East Yorkshire Federation
Alyson Calvert, President of Beverley WI has been volunteering at her local vaccination centre in East Riding and has done several shifts so far. When people arrive for their vaccination, Alyson is part of the team that meets and greets them. Alyson says that volunteering has been a “pleasure and a privilege”, and everyone coming in to receive their vaccine has been, “very grateful”.
Wellow Owls WI, Hampshire Federation
Gill Money and Marilyn Daish from Wellow Owls WI have been supporting the Romsey vaccination centre at Crosfield Hall since before Christmas. They’re part of teams of 9 volunteers per 5-hour session steering patients through the vaccination process.
Volunteers organise parking in front of the hall and manage the queue of patients outside, making sure they stay safely distanced, sanitise their hands on entering, take their temperatures before they're vaccinated, help them through the vaccination hall, take them to the observation area and make sure they're ok before they leave. Test Valley's volunteer organisation, Unity, has co-ordinated for both Romsey and Andover - they've had an incredible 740 volunteers come forward for the programme! Another Wellow Owls WI member is in the queue to join them and Gill believes there may well be other WI members working at both Andover and Romsey.
Wendy Hall, Spennymoor West WI, Durham County Federation
Wendy Hall, a member of Spennymoor West WI, is a nurse and has been working at the vaccination centre at work, vaccinating health and social care workers. Wendy is also a volunteer with St John’s Ambulance and has been assisting with the training of volunteer vaccinators at vaccination training hypercentres on weekends.
Wendy said, “I love the enthusiasm of the volunteers on the training and how happy they are that they are able to contribute to the massive task of vaccinating an entire population. It's fantastic to see their confidence grow as they practice giving the jabs and leave signed off and ready to start assisting at the vaccination hubs.”
To find out about opportunities to volunteer to support the NHS Vaccination Programme, visit the Royal Voluntary Service’s website.
If you are a WI member currently volunteering at a vaccination centre and would like to be included in this blog, email the NFWI at pr@nfwi.org.uk