NHS and Care Volunteer Responders is urgently calling for people in Ashfield to sign up and volunteer to support vulnerable people in the community, ensuring access to essentials such as groceries, prescriptions, and medical equipment.

The call comes as the Volunteer Responders programme, delivered by Royal Voluntary Service and the GoodSAM app on behalf of the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care, expands to support even more people and communities across England.

Ashfield needs 100 volunteers as the Volunteer Responders programme recruits for two newly-relaunched volunteer activities — Community Response and Pick Up and Deliver.

Through Community Response, volunteers collect and deliver food shopping, prescriptions, and essential items to vulnerable people.

Through Pick Up and Deliver, volunteers help transport medicines or small medical equipment items to people’s homes or community settings from NHS sites, helping to support hospital discharge and prevent admissions.

Volunteering is completely flexible and is managed through the GoodSAM smartphone app, allowing volunteers to make a positive impact at times and locations that suit them.
Community Response and Pick Up and Deliver were initially launched during the pandemic to support shielding and isolated individuals.

Sam Ward, deputy CEO of Royal Voluntary Service, said: “Today, the need for volunteers remains as vital as ever. We are urgently, asking those who can, to provide support to their communities and volunteer.”

Go to nhscarevolunteerresponders.org for details of how to sign up.