Irving Francis, from Coulsdon, is being celebrated for his volunteering efforts, as he has passed the milestone of completing more than 600 tasks to support people across south London.
Showing the way: Irving Francis has conducted 600 volunteer tasks in four years
Through the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme, since 2000, Francis has been giving back to others, helping with grocery and prescription collections for older and vulnerable people, making friendly phone calls to those in need of a friendly chat, and stewarding at nearby covid vaccination centre.
Fancis’s volunteering efforts have protected the health of some of the most vulnerable people in his community, as well as contributing to the success of the biggest vaccination programme in history.
NHS and Care Volunteer Responders is delivered by Royal Voluntary Service and GoodSAM, who have a army of 40,000 volunteers across the country.
Francis is hoping others in Croydon will be encouraged by his example and step forward and give volunteering a go. “Volunteering gave me a new purpose after retirement. I have found volunteering very rewarding and enjoyable, especially stewarding.
“I enjoy seeing how grateful people are when I help them. Something that might seem small to you can make a big difference to someone else. My favourite part about volunteering is being able to do several different activities. It keeps things interesting and allows me to support my community in various ways.
“I would definitely recommend volunteering to others.”
Sam Ward, the RVS’s deputy chief exec, said: “Completing 600 tasks is an impressive accomplishment and we are incredibly proud and thankful for Irving’s efforts. His hard work has undeniably made a positive impact in south London, supporting the NHS, healthcare teams, and those most vulnerable in his community.
“I’d encourage anyone feeling inspired to give back to visit our website and become a volunteer today. Whether you go on to complete one task, or one thousand, a single action can be all it takes to make a difference.”
Volunteering with NHS and Care Volunteer Responders is completely flexible and is managed through the GoodSAM smartphone app, allowing volunteers to make a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of people in their area, and remotely, at times and locations that suit them.
Those ready to make a difference can visit the website for more details on the volunteer activities available and how to sign up: nhscarevolunteerresponders.org
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