Sam’s story: “I feel like I met a new group of friends”

Sam is a volunteer at the Downham vaccination hub.

I decided to volunteer at the centre where I had my vaccine done, Downham. I was very scared and not sure about this new vaccine but everyone there was so helpful and made me feel at ease.

Volunteering makes me feel like I can help out someone as much as I was helped on the day, and make their experience better  — and maybe have a laugh, too. Everyone is lovely at the centre, and I feel like I met a new group of friends where we have the same ideas and principles when it comes to Covid.

Rachel’s story: “Little did I realise quite how inspiring and exhilarating this would be”

Rachel is a volunteer at Downham, Lewisham Hospital, St. Johns, and the Waldron.

I had so much annual leave to take, and in January 2021 we weren’t supposed to travel or leave our locality unnecessarily. When the opportunity came up to volunteer at the vaccination centres I jumped at it. Little did I realise at the time quite how inspiring and exhilarating this would be, and how quickly reliable teams can be built.

My first shift was particularly memorable after almost 10 months of seeing very few people, to be surrounded by so many — and also to have to overcome the new inhibition of keeping a distance from the over-80s whom I was trying to help out of cars just showed what an impact the pandemic and the lockdown measures had. It was a proper wartime spirit.

Since then it has been great to meet other volunteers and health care professionals but also to learn more about Lewisham borough, its residents, different generations and cultures, attitudes, and apprehension towards vaccinations.

Rahul — “They are very happy to have their vaccines. It is a really positive response.”

Mark Brown talked with Rahul at the Waldron Health Centre in New Cross in June 2021.

TRANSCRIPT

MB: This is Mark Brown for Lewisham Vaccination Stories, and I am deep in the heart of the Waldron Health Centre, where vaccinations are happening today, and I’m here with…?

R: Rahul. I’m a digital care co-ordinator for Waldron Health Centre.

MB: What is it you do in this grand effort then?

Continue reading Rahul — “They are very happy to have their vaccines. It is a really positive response.”

Caroline — “I feel very honoured to be serving the community my ancestors were part of”

Vicky Walker spoke with volunteer vaccinator and outreach steward Caroline at the Downham Vaccination Hub on September 25, 2021.

TRANSCRIPT:

Vicky: Hi. This is Vicky Walker, from Lewisham Vaccination Stories. We have just finished a shift of second and first doses at the Downham Vaccination Hub, and I am here talking to my fellow volunteer vaccinator, Caroline. Hello, Caroline.

Caroline: Hi.

Vicky: So, I know that you and I are both vaccinators and we are enjoying it. What were you doing before the vaccination programme started? How was your pandemic going?

Continue reading Caroline — “I feel very honoured to be serving the community my ancestors were part of”

Mike — “The U.K. wouldn’t be anywhere without the vaccine programme and its thousands of volunteers.”

Vicky Walker spoke with volunteer shift leader Mike at the Downham Vaccination Hub on September, 25, 2021.

TRANSCRIPT:  

Vicky Walker: This is Vicky Walker for Lewisham Vaccination Stories. I’m up at the Downham Vaccination Hub on a cloudy September day. And I’m here talking with…

Mike: Mike.

Vicky Walker: So, Mike, I think you’ve been here since the very beginning in January, with me. What were you thinking when you first arrived here for your first volunteer shift?

Mike: My goodness, what was I thinking?

Continue reading Mike — “The U.K. wouldn’t be anywhere without the vaccine programme and its thousands of volunteers.”

David W’s story: “I never realised that four hours of wiping down chairs could be so exhausting.”

David W. is a volunteer at the Jenner. 

I found volunteering at the Jenner centre a good way to help the community in these very strange times. It also gave me a reason to get out of the house and away from my studies (I am a post-graduate student).

It also enabled me to meet with a diverse range of people and share workplace banter. The work also provided a useful form of exercise when the gyms were closed — I never realised that four hours of wiping down chairs could be so exhausting.