Vaccination centre volunteers required

As life gradually returns back to normal in Montgomeryshire, volunteers working at the mass vaccination centre are returning to their day jobs, prompting a plea for more recruits.

More than 2,000 people have signed up to become volunteers in Powys across a range of roles and organisations over the past year, with many working at the centre in Newtown.

But as existing volunteers return to work or studies after spells on furlough, closure of their businesses or distance learning, new way-finder marshals are required.

Carl Cooper, Chief Executive of Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), said: “Volunteers will never replace paid members of staff, but they can be deployed alongside them in many roles and make the public services delivered in Powys even better.

“They have been real heroes during the Coronavirus pandemic, and I hope they will have seen the benefits volunteering bring to both the people being helped and those providing the help and decide to continue offering some of their time to support others.”

PAVO works with a range of partners, including Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board, to promote voluntary work and to help individuals find volunteer placements that suit them, through their Powys Volunteer Centre centre.

“Powys Volunteer Centre is the gateway to volunteering and can help you meet new people, gain experience, learn new skills and have fun,” added Carl. “Volunteering is for anyone aged 14 years and over and can really help to improve your wellbeing and give you a sense of achievement that you can only get from helping others.”

If you want to volunteer, visit https://www.pavo.org.uk/help-for-people/volunteering.html to find out more.

You can also contact the Powys Volunteer Centre at volunteering@pavo.org.uk or 01597 822191. 

Powys has the most charities per head of population for any local authority area in Wales, with 16.8 charities per 1,000 people, the Wales Council for Voluntary Action reported in 2020.

It boasts 4,040 community and voluntary groups, 22,313 trustees and a further 26,346 volunteers in other roles, whose time is worth £129.1 million per annum to the local services. They manage to draw in £57 million worth of funding to the county and provide an economic boost of £173.6 million.