Karen is a volunteer in Lewisham.
I decided to volunteer at the vaccine centre for a few reasons — to see for myself the thing that was finally going to put a halt to the pandemic that has affected us all so terribly; because I do lots of other community activity and felt like this would be a really good thing to be involved with; and (if I am very honest) to get out of homeschooling and away from my kids for a while! Sorry, kids!!
I would never have guessed a year ago that the highlight of my week would be hanging out in a health centre, giving vaccines! It was challenging as I learnt the skills needed to be an admin and work with the vaccinators to make sure each patient’s experience was right; it was sociable as I met loads of new people, all of whom worked brilliantly together to make the experience pleasant for patients; it was inspiring, as GPs, staff, volunteers, and many others came together in one effort.
I was also surprised by how fun it was — I came to genuinely look forward to my vaccine slot each week, to walking into that friendly environment and coming across so many interesting challenges.
And sometimes it was really moving — all those people who hadn’t left their homes for nearly a year and were being offered a glimpse of freedom. All the elderly people who were just looking forward to seeing their families again. The long Covid sufferers, so emotional as they tried to see past this awful illness. One day, I commented on a patient’s name, and the next moment had to hold back tears as she showed me photos of her beautiful twin, who had died of Covid two days before — she had been a nurse and had worked throughout the pandemic, only to pass away a week before her vaccine had been due.
The people I worked with were an inspiration: the GPs and NHS staff who had seen so much already and who were giving up more time to work at the centre. The centre managers who worked tirelessly to get it all right. The volunteers, who everyone on my local community forum said were the nicest, friendliest, most efficient people on earth! The patients, who were scared, jolly, frustrated, happy, talkative, quiet — but mainly grateful. Some patients bought chocolates and treats; others regaled us with stories of what they would do when they were able to leave their homes again.
I will always remember volunteering alongside a refugee, who’d been a doctor in Syria and who was just visibly happy to be back in a medical setting again while he waits for his permit to work here. I think he epitomises what this volunteering has symbolised for me — compassionate, determined, and ever so kind.