This email was sent to Volunteer Responders in April 2024.
In this edition we focus on:
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
It’s Volunteer Recognition Day on 20 April, and with 40,000 volunteers and counting, we wanted to acknowledge the vital support you provide.
Our community is growing every day. We couldn’t be more grateful to every volunteer for all the time and energy you put into making others feel good.
Whether it’s delivering a prescription, making a friendly call or supporting a local vaccination site, Volunteer Responders are helping the NHS and communities all over England.
We appreciate the positive impact you are making.
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
We urgently need your support ahead of Steward shifts returning on Monday 22 April for the spring vaccination campaign.
Shifts are available now. You can view and accept shifts in the Future Tasks tab on the GoodSAM app. Please book a shift if you can. If you have already booked a shift, thank you.
If you want to help with Steward shifts, you can do this by checking your activities. Volunteer Responders are able to view which activities they are able to support by logging in to your GoodSAM account on the website. Then click on the ‘Manage your current activities’ tab.
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
If you can’t find something you need or have a query, the new hours for our Support Team are 9am to 6pm, 7 days a week.
The phone number is still 0808 196 3382[2].
It is vital that all our volunteers and the people we support are safe and well. If you need to report an urgent issue you have experienced whilst volunteering, immediate and critical safeguarding concerns can still be raised 9am to 8pm, 7 days a week.
Please call 0808 196 3382[2] for assistance.
You may also find the answer to your query on our website[3].
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
The Pick Up and Deliver activity plays a vital role in serving the community. Volunteers transport medicine or small items of medical equipment to people’s homes from NHS sites. This can include transporting items to community sites.
How you choose to collect and deliver the items is entirely up to you. Whether you drive, take public transport or walk, it’s about what works for you. Please consider the area you are delivering to, as you may not be able to reach it by public transport. If you have booked a Pick Up and Deliver shift, you may also be doing multiple deliveries.
As a Volunteer Responder, you can claim back reasonable expenses, such as mileage, bus fares and parking charges.
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
Please ensure that you cancel a shift as soon as possible if you can no longer attend.
This ensures other volunteers have the chance to accept the shift and that the team has enough volunteers to operate as normal.
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
Our expenses system has been updated. This includes an additional audit for most claims that require a receipt.
If your claim is returned to you by Concur, the report you will receive will contain comments on why it has been returned and will contain information on what action you need to take.
Information on the new process can be found in the Quick Start Guide[4] and FAQs[5] from 24 April.
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
Sailing around the world for 7 years, attending every Glastonbury Festival for the last 40, and being asked to publish a story about their life. These are just some of the fascinating conversations that volunteers have had with the people they’re supporting.
Every day, Volunteer Responders are interacting with people up and down the country. Whether it’s a Check In and Chat phone call or Pick Up and Deliver shift, conversations are happening all the time.
Tell us about some of your #FavouriteConversations you’ve had as a volunteer by clicking here[6].
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
The Big Help Out app has launched!
Thousands of charities do incredible work that is made possible with the help of volunteers. Try something new this summer and download the app to see opportunities in your local area from 7-9 June.
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
You’re invited to the Virtual Village Hall’s 4th Birthday party!
Bring a cuppa and a slice of cake and join us live at 10am on Monday 29 April to celebrate this special occasion. You can look forward to birthday messages, toe-tapping music, fun activities, and even some audience participation!
Come along and join us for some birthday fun. We can’t wait to see you.
Please note that the party will be recorded on the day.
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024
Questions this week include why can’t I see Steward shifts, how do I add another activity to my profile and where can I view information for a Steward shift that I’ve booked.
It may be that right now there are no Steward shifts available within your chosen distance, but this may change as new shifts are added so please keep your app up to date. Remember, you also need to complete an ID check in order to accept shifts. See ID check essential for booking Steward shifts[10].
Volunteers can add/remove activities through their GoodSAM account. To do this, visit goodsamapp.org/login[11] and select 'Manage your current activities'.
Head to the ‘Future Tasks’ tab and press ‘Show Details’. You can view the vaccination site contact details by clicking on the ‘My Contact’ tab. Some shifts may also provide parking and travel information in the ‘Additional Information’ tab.
Page last reviewed: 18 April 2024