An astonishing 750,000 Britons have joined the NHS volunteer army in just five days.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock had initially hoped to recruit 250,000 members of the public – but the target was trebled following the huge response.
Nearly half a million pledged their support in the first 24 hours after the appeal went out on Tuesday, including many workers who had lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Last night the NHS revealed the new 750,000 target had been hit and the appeal has now been closed – to be re-opened in the following weeks.
Volunteers, whose services will be needed for at least the next three months, will be able to devote as much or as little time as they can. They can log on as being on duty and ready to take tasks, and will be contacted by a call centre run by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) [File photo]
Officials are currently processing the applications, which involves carrying out background and identity checks and allocating individuals to one of four key roles.
Those who have signed up will be helping the 1.5million vulnerable patients who have been told to completely shield themselves from the outside world as they are particularly at risk of contracting the virus.
Roles include collecting groceries and medications, making regular phone calls to help those at risk of isolation, driving them from urgent hospital appointments and helping them settle in at home.
Some volunteers will also be given the task of transporting medication and other equipment in between hospitals, pharmacies and other NHS sites.
The Health Secretary said our ‘brilliant’ campaign had ‘inspired an incredible reaction from the public’, which saw 34,000 sign up to take on various hospital roles
Volunteers, whose services will be needed for at least the next three months, will be able to devote as much or as little time as they can. They can log on as being on duty and ready to take tasks, and will be contacted by a call centre run by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS).
If they cannot fulfil a delegated role it will be given to someone else nearby. Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: ‘We have been absolutely bowled over by the staggering response to our call for volunteers. I want to thank each and every one of the 750,000 people who have committed their precious time to help some of the most vulnerable people stay home and save lives.
‘Coronavirus is an unprecedented global health emergency and your generosity and goodwill offers every one of us some light at the end of the tunnel.
‘We will now concentrate on getting this incredible volunteer army up and running, with every single volunteer matched to local tasks and help vulnerable people in their communities.’
The NHS hopes to place volunteers in roles this week and officials are working alongside the RVS charity to process applications.
Mr Hancock launched his appeal after making a special request to Daily Mail readers following the extraordinary response to the paper’s Hospital Helpforce campaign last year.
The Health Secretary said our ‘brilliant’ campaign had ‘inspired an incredible reaction from the public’, which saw 34,000 sign up to take on various hospital roles.
This new cohort of volunteers will help patients with cancers of the blood and bone marrow, cystic fibrosis, severe asthma or those who have recently undergone an organ transport.
They will also be supporting other elderly residents who have found themselves cut off as carers or family can no longer visit.
Catherine Johnstone, chief executive of RVS, said: ‘Our team is now working flat out with colleagues in NHS England to process the many thousands of applications we’ve received, so we can get volunteers up and running as soon as possible and matched with patients that they can begin to support.
‘Due to the enormous volume of applications, we have now paused recruitment and ask anyone who is still interested in volunteering to wait a few weeks for the application process to reopen. This will enable our team to focus on getting the first tranche of volunteers checked and into the community.’
Packaging billionaire hands over £16.5m to help battle
By Andrew Levy for the Daily Mail
Billionaire philanthropist Hans Kristian Rausing and his wife Julia have donated £16.5million to coronavirus causes.
Billionaire philanthropist Hans Kristian Rausing and his wife Julia have donated £16.5million to coronavirus causes
The biggest single gift is £5million for the Covid-19 Appeal being run by NHS Charities Together, the national membership organisation for health service charities.
The money will go towards well-being packs such as food deliveries, energy snacks, refreshments, wash kits and overnight stay kits for frontline health workers tackling the disease. It will also cover the cost of travel, parking and accommodation, along with other expenses.
It follows a donation of £2.5million to other Covid-19-related charities last week including £500,000 to CW+, the charity of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, and the same amount to volunteer organisation Helpforce.
Others that will benefit include charitable food redistributor FareShare, which is to receive £725,000 as it provides an extra eight million meals to vulnerable people over the next year. It already provides more than a million meals a week.
Swedish billionaire Mr Rausing, 56, whose grandfather Ruben founded food packaging firm Tetra Pak, and his wife, an art expert, have pledged a further £9million in donations over the next six months for other causes connected to the pandemic.
They said: ‘This is an extraordinarily tough time for everyone across the country, particularly for the most vulnerable in society.
‘There are a number of charities and organisations that are at the forefront of this pandemic and we hope these donations can help them continue their excellent work when it has never been more needed.’
Of the NHS Charities Together donation, they added: ‘Staff and volunteers within the NHS are making huge sacrifices every day to care for those unwell and this is a rallying cry to inspire others to support these national heroes and provide vital support for those in need.’
Ellie Orton, chief executive of NHS Charities Together, thanked the Rausings for their ‘incredible gift’ and said the target for its appeal had been increased to £100million.
CW+ chief executive Chris Chaney said: ‘This phenomenal commitment from Julia and Hans Rausing will not only help us provide the additional intensive care support and capacity we urgently need but will also enable us to look after our dedicated teams.’
When Mr Rausing’s father, also called Hans, died last summer aged 93 he was estimated to be worth £9.6billion.
The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust has now provided 220 grants totalling more than £200million to organisations mainly in health and wellbeing, welfare and education and arts and culture.
Donations flood in as McAvoy pledges £250k for medic masks
By Andrew Levy
The actor, 40, helped the Masks for NHS Heroes fundraiser smash through its £200,000 target just three days after going live
James McAvoy has called on the public to help save lives by donating money to buy protective gear for NHS workers – as he pledged £250,000 to the cause himself.
The actor, 40, helped the Masks for NHS Heroes fundraiser smash through its £200,000 target just three days after going live.
Last night it stood at more than £700,000 after around 10,000 people pledged their support. The donations will buy masks, visors, gowns and gloves from global supply chains to be rushed to the UK by air freight.
In a video posted on the Crowdfunder page, the X-Men star said: ‘We have all heard stories about doctors and nurses having to buy their own personal protective equipment (PPE) from the internet or DIY stores and the products aren’t good enough and, frankly, nor is the situation.
‘Not only does it put the doctors and nurses at risk of contracting Covid-19 themselves but it puts them at a higher risk of passing it on to their patients and their patients’ families. The situation is truly urgent.’
The Glaswegian actor, whose huge pledge was sandwiched between £50 and £20 donations, added: ‘The Government are trying but they are overwhelmed and the NHS needs all the help they can get.’
Dr Mona Barzin, 32, one of four medics who set up the fundraiser, said: ‘[McAvoy’s] a big supporter of the NHS and without the awareness we wouldn’t be where we are at the moment.’ The locum GP, who is handling coronavirus-related 111 calls in north-west London, added: ‘I think it demonstrates how much people want to help and support the NHS.’
The Department of Health said: ‘We are working around the clock to give the NHS… the equipment and support it needs to tackle this outbreak.’