HUNDREDS of thousands more workers from some of Britain’s biggest companies were last night urged to sign up to The Sun’s Jabs Army campaign.
Bosses of John Lewis and Waitrose, phone giant O2, insurer Aviva, Santander Bank and tech firm Capita all joined the nationwide effort to find volunteers to get the country vaccinated against Covid-19.
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Sign up at nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
They answered our crucial call to arms as PM Boris Johnson pledged to immunise 200,000 people a week against the virus.
Firms backing our appeal now have a joint army of potential volunteers totalling more than 750,000.
Last night John Lewis and Waitrose pledged to allow their 78,000 staff – many of whom have been working flat out to deliver supplies and stock supermarkets in lockdowns this year – to volunteer for the vaccination scheme.
Andrew Murphy, Executive Director, Operations, said: “We are very supportive of the national effort to roll out Covid vaccines.
“We’ve already made our staff sports centre available in Bracknell for vaccinating local people and are exploring how we could use temporarily closed John Lewis shops in a similar way.
“We’ll also be making our Partners aware of the excellent Jabs Army campaign and how those that feel able to help can sign up as volunteers.”
Yesterday Capita – which runs the MoD’s fire and rescue service and is operator of London’s congestion charge – urged its 40,000 UK workers countrywide to sign up as Steward Volunteers at NHS vaccination sites.
The stewards will form a key part of the Covid-19 vaccination team by making sure the NHS centres run smoothly and safely.
Jon Lewis, CEO of Capita, said: “This has been an incredibly tough time for the whole country and the UK business community needs to pull together to help.
"We’re really proud to be supporting The Sun’s Jabs Army campaign and we will be encouraging as many of our 40,000 UK employees to volunteer as possible.
“We have offices right across the UK, so this is a small but important way we can help to get communities back on their feet.”
Aviva said of the campaign: “It’s a big thumbs up from Aviva. As the UK’s number one insurer, we are right behind the vaccination campaign.
“We have 15,000 Aviva people in the UK who can spend up to three days, on full pay, helping this great national effort.
“Let’s get these jabs rolled out and defeat Covid once and for all.”
'FANTASTIC CAMPAIGN'
Phone giant O2, which has 6,500 staff, said: “All of our colleagues are encouraged to sign up to this programme and we have communicated this to the whole company.”
And Santander became the first British bank to support the campaign.
Nathan Bostock, CEO, Santander UK said: “This is a fantastic campaign and we are delighted to give it our backing.
"Our colleagues have worked tirelessly to help our customers and communities throughout the pandemic so this is a great way to extend that support and help the country overcome the virus.”
Jabs Army volunteers can get a free taxi ride to help deliver jabs thanks to cabbie-app Bolt.
The taxi firm backed The Sun’s campaign and are offering to hand out £250,000 worth of free rides in London to help with the vaccine roll out – including our readers helping out.
How to sign up
VOLUNTEERS for the Jabs Army are being asked to first register online at nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
You will then receive an email with log-in details to sign up online.
Finally, you will be asked to download the GoodSAM app on a smartphone which will match you to a role in your area.
Services will be opening in the coming days and weeks, with different areas up and running at different times, so you might not be required on site for some weeks. Not everyone who signs up will need to be called upon.
You need to commit to only two six-hour shifts a month at a vaccination service, and no prior experience or qualifications are required.
You will work as part of a team that will include NHS staff and volunteers. The Royal Voluntary Service will conduct appropriate background checks.
Go to nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
Sam Raciti, Bolt’s UK General Manager said: “Brits are desperate to see their loved ones again.
“Our 50,000 drivers in London are here and ready to help get people to these sites.”
Pub chain Fuller’s is urging its 4,000 employees from its 388 pubs to take part.
Jane Jones, Marketing Director at Fuller Smith & Turner, said: “The teams in our pubs are desperate to get back to serving their communities – it’s what they love doing.
”I know that many of them, while currently on furlough, will jump at the chance to be part of the army of volunteers to get the vaccine out there.
“The more we all do to make this happen, the quicker we can all get back to what we do best – welcoming our customers into our fabulous pubs and hotels.”
Safety Q&A
SAFETY for our Jab Army volunteers is paramount.
Here we answer your questions about how you will be protected while working as a Steward Volunteer in a vaccine centre:
Here we answer your questions about how you will be protected while working as a Steward Volunteer in a vaccine centre:
When I do my voluntary duty will I be safe from catching Covid?
Volunteer and patient safety is the NHS and Royal Voluntary Services’ top priority.
While is no upper age limit for volunteering but being a Steward Volunteer is a frontline role and is not for anyone who is in a medium or high-risk category.
Team leaders will ensure volunteers have the correct equipment to keep them safe at all times and social distancing will be in place throughout volunteer shifts.
There are lots of other volunteering roles available on the website.
Will I be asked to wear PPE?
Yes, the safety of volunteers is extremely important and you will be provided with appropriate PPE at the vaccination centres by your team leader.
Will I come in direct contact with patients?
One of the key jobs of our Steward Volunteers is to make sure people queuing up to receive their jabs are keeping to a safe social distance.
This is also includes yourself, so, where possible you will be two metres away from patients and other volunteers.
What training will I be given?
You will be provided with a comprehensive ‘Getting You Started guide’ to explain everything that is required on site.
As this is a non-clinical role, no specific training is required and once you arrive on site, team leaders will take you through a site introduction and briefing.
Other leading companies already signed up include BT, Sky, British Airways, Morrisons, Paddy Power, Tui, Vue, Hilton and JD Wetherspoon.
On New Year’s Day, The Sun launched a major new campaign called Jabs Army to help the NHS recruit the volunteers needed for the safe running of pop-up vaccination centres in the fight against Covid-19.
Through the NHS Volunteer Responders Programme, delivered by Royal Voluntary Service, almost anyone can sign up to play the part in the drive to get 15million people immunised by March.
Volunteers only need to commit to two 6 hour shifts per month at a vaccination service near them and no prior experience or qualifications are required.
Last night nearly 25,000 people had signed up to our appeal in just over a week meaning we are halfway towards our target of 50,000 volunteers.
Sign up at nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
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