Now is the time to honour our Scout promise by joining The Sun’s Jabs Army call
WITHIN days, Britain’s Covid death toll will reach 75,000. That’s a terrifying number.
As you read this, I have a great friend fighting for her life on oxygen in a Covid ward.
What would we all give to help prevent even more people dying from coronavirus?
What would we all give for normal life to return? What if I told you that YOU can do something right now that will change the world in which we live?
Well, you can — volunteering just six hours of your time, twice a month will change society right now and help us all return to doing the things we love.
I am backing The Sun’s Jabs Army campaign to recruit 50,000 volunteers to help out as stewards at vaccination centres.
And I hope to encourage all adults to get involved.
But I am specifically asking those of you who were Scouts in your youth to be part of this vital work to help the UK population get vaccinated.
Sign up at nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
‘Volunteering works both ways’
I know there have been literally millions of young people who have benefited from the Scouts and now is a great time to honour our Scout promise to help others.
It is easy to join — just put your name forward using the Royal Volunteer Service link on this page.
I have been so honoured to have been Chief Scout since 2009 and to have become the first Chief Ambassador to the incredible World Scout Organisation.
These roles have shown me first-hand the power of volunteering and how it changes society for the better.
I have never met a volunteer who resents giving up their time to help and inspire others. They learn something that is often forgotten — that volunteering works both ways.
When we volunteer it increases our self-confidence, sense of pride and identity.
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There’s also overwhelming evidence that volunteering helps fight stress and anxiety, which so many of us are prone to, especially during the pandemic.
But there are also some more surprising benefits.
Researchers at the London School of Economics found weekly volunteering led to the same boost in happiness and wellbeing as a pay rise of up to £55,000.
Jabs Army works on the basis of a lot of people doing a little. We can all find a little bit of time in our schedule to dedicate to others. I am going to sign up — will you? Together we will be part of making the world a lot better in 2021.
- Sign up at nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
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 Responder 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.
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