Key volunteers keep the vaccination centres going

A total of 180 are on the rotas to help at the sites in Newtown, Llanelwedd and Bronllys, as the county, and country, face up to their biggest public health challenge in a century. And a further 132 are on standby to provide support if needed.

The appeal for support from Powys Teaching Health Board means thatsince the start of the coronavirus pandemic 1,689 new volunteers have been recruited in the county.

Spearheading the drive has been the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), which has been working closely with the health board and Powys County Council to make sure support is available where needed.

Carl Cooper, Chief Executive of PAVO, said: “We want to celebrate the work that has been achieved with the help of so many volunteers across Powys, in the past year. They have been among the many heroes of this pandemic, so far, and will continue to be for many more months to come.

“This county has a proud tradition of volunteering, and in fact I would go so far as to say that for many of our residents it is part of their psyche to volunteer and help out. The numbers we are able to recruit is incredible and makes Powys the volunteering capital of Wales.”

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.

“The volunteers who have supported the health service in Powys in the last 12 months have been magnificent,” said health baord Chief Executive, Carol Shillabeer.

“They have acted in a professional manner and have complemented the work of our paid members of staff, providing additional services which in turn free up our health workers to do what they do best which is to look after the health of their patients."

County Council cabinet member Graham Breeze, added: “I have seen first-hand in my own community the great things that volunteers can help us achieve and that has been replicated right across the county during this pandemic."port in the future.”

If anyone would like to offer their services as a volunteer during the pandemic, or at any other time, they can contact PAVO on: 01597 822191 or go to the Powys Volunteer Centre on its website: www.pavo.org.uk