St Patrick's Day celebrations on Zoom for Newbury Vaccination Centre's Volunteer of the Week Roisin
Meeter and greeter is 'a pocket rocket superstar'
“I HEARD about the vaccination centre in December and immediately put myself forward to help,” said Roisin Teggart, this week’s Newbury Vaccination Centre’s Volunteer of the Week.
“I don’t have any healthcare specialist experience, but I recognised that this was something I could do for the community in these extraordinary times.”
Mrs Teggart, who lives in Chieveley, had recently taken voluntary redundancy from Bayer and with more free time she was more than happy to step up.
She has carried out most of the volunteer roles at the centre, but says she is usually ‘the meeter and greeter’ on the front door or at the other end, saying goodbye to patients when they leave.
Mrs Teggart said: “Its such a rewarding experience. We are all working together in those shifts and I’ve met so many different people and collectively the volunteers make a great team.”
She said many patients turn up feeling nervous and anxious about the vaccination, but the volunteers help to reassure them.
“It’s great going on that journey with them – reassuring them and making them feel comfortable,” she added. “We always have a smile for everyone – even behind those masks.”
The vaccination centre leaders chose Mrs Teggart because she has been with the team ‘since the start of our journey’ and was described by one volunteer lead as a 'pocket rocket superstar'.
The lead team said: “She’s usually on the front or back door and always running around making sure everyone is rotating out of the cold and getting inside to warm up. She’s just always so cheerful and looks after everyone. And is always happy to do whatever is asked of her.
“Thank you Roisin for being such an amazing volunteer. While we have lots of amazing volunteers, you shone this week.”
Mrs Teggart has been unable to return to her home town of Belfast for some time because of the pandemic and she said: “I’m really looking forward to being able to go home and see my family again, it’s been so long."
“And of course meeting up with friends locally – I can’t wait for the pubs to open up again.”
She added she and her husband would be celebrating St Patrick's Day, today, Wednesday, March 17, with family on Zoom.
