Shropshire Star

Hardy few jab volunteers appeal for more help to stop 'burnout' as numbers dwindle

A tired band of devoted volunteers are appealing for more help to make sure that the continuing Covid and flu vaccination programme goes ahead smoothly after the number of volunteers dwindled from 1,600 to fewer than 30.

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Councillor David Evans has been helping with parking

Some of the unpaid volunteers have been involved in the vaccination programme since the first jabs were administered way back in December 2020 and would like some much needed help and company.

Martha Tryers Goral, a co-ordinator of Vaccination Programme Support Volunteers in Shropshire, said: "Two years ago there were 1,600 volunteers but now there are fewer than 30 as a legacy of that."

She said the NHS now concentrates, rightly, on co-ordinating the clinical staff who are needed to deliver the flu and covid vaccines.

"I've been a volunteer since December 2020 and we do get burnout. Most of us are over 70 and we need more people on board so some of us can have breaks."

One of the volunteers praised by Mrs Tryers Goral is Councillor David Evans, who helps out at the Community Centre in Craven Arms.

The kinds of jobs the jab volunteers are asked to do include a spot of administration, booking people onto the systems, stewarding traffic, and generally helping people to get in and out of the vaccination centres.

Mrs Tryers Goral said it is very rewarding work.

"You get an enormous amount of satisfaction, and it helped my mental health. It also gets you out and meeting people," she added.

Following recent publicity the scheme has seen an influx of people but more are needed.

And until a website is built later in the year, the best way to contact the volunteers is to call Mrs Tryers Goral's 24 hour phone number on 07487 595908.

Or send her an email at marthatryers1@gmail.com