Volunteers celebrated at lunch

Get together held for vaccination clinic helpers

 

Staff at a vaccination site in Harlow took the opportunity to get together with valued volunteers who have helped with its smooth running.

Lister Medical Centre arranged a special thank you lunch attended by around 40 volunteers who have spent their spare time working tirelessly to assist with the vaccination programme since it launched in December 2020.

The lunchtime event, held after lockdown rules eased earlier this month, was a chance for staff at Lister Medical Centre to catch up with colleagues from the voluntary sector who have worked so hard to help in the fight against Coronavirus.

Practice Manager Karen Cakmak said the event, which included a buffet lunch with soft drinks, was a chance for everyone to share vaccine clinic experiences.

She said: “It was so lovely to be able to give something back to those who offer their time and energy freely, and with such good heart.”

Showing people where to go, checking on them after they have had their vaccine and keeping the centre clean are among the many roles the volunteers have taken on in recent months.

The feedback from patients attending the clinics has been exceptional with the Volunteers being especially praised for their professional and caring attitude.

Dr Jey Selvarajah, clinical lead at Lister Medical Centre, said none of it could have been achieved without the help of the volunteers who were each handed a certificate, produced by the clinic, to commemorate their efforts.

Karen added: “In turn, the volunteers told us that they loved coming to the vaccination clinics, that they felt respected and valued, which was brilliant to hear.  We had a wonderful couple of hours, which raised our spirits and brought us all together again at last.”