SINCE its inception in 2012, then as Veterans In Action, I have been the press officer for Veterans In Communities. With a D-Day veteran Great Uncle and a father who served from being a boy soldier at 14 and was then in REME until 1961, I qualify as veterans’ family, even though I have not served myself.
The charity was called in to help at Rawtenstall Health Hub (real name Rawtenstall Primary Health Care Centre) to marshal the car park while the centre was being used to vaccinate the masses against the dreaded Covid-19 that has been a plague on all of our lives.
At the start, I left it to the ‘lads’ (and lasses of course), but then as I was not as busy as normal with work, I decided to volunteer. Three weeks later, five shifts done and 21 hours completed. These were in snow, biting winds, rain and temperatures as low as -6… brrr. The thing about veterans is they always have your back, they take no nonsense and they are organised – so ideal candidates for the job in hand. They also have a crazy sense of humour, which when you are outside in sub-zero temperatures also helps.
Yes, there have been times when people have deliberately ignored the cones and double yellows and even the person in the hi-vis pleading for them not to stop the car and let the person who can’t walk… walk into the queue for the hub. So how come that is a problem? Well, one car stops, the car behind does the same thing and the next and the next and then there is a queue out into busy Bacup Road.
My latest shift, today (Wed Feb 10), was a crazy 5 hours from 8am, during which time, because I never stand still, I completed 4.9 miles and 11,000 steps. Over the last 5 shifts I have devised the ‘Marshall Walk’, a series of dance steps to keep me moving and make the time pass quicker, and keep me warmer. And yes it was videoed!
Today, instead of just signalling to drivers to make their way to the car park and keep the traffic flowing, I got to direct people into the Hub. A few were very nervous; I could see it in their eyes. I did my best to calm and reassure them before they went inside. One of those ladies made a special effort to return and tell me how she had not felt a thing and how relieved she was that she was getting her life back.
Another was almost in tears because traffic had made her late, she had never been to the Hub before and was so grateful for the directions offered by the marshals when she got to the site. Once reassured that she would get her jab and calmed, she explained the tears were happy tears because she was desperate to be vaccinated so she could hold her grandchildren again.
I saw so many people that I know that I ran out of fingers to count them on; even the Mayor was in the queue.
A couple of ladies decided to ignore the queue, and my instructions, marched past others waiting neatly in a line and opened the door for themselves and walked in. How rude, please don’t do that.
A gentleman kindly returned to tell me how he had been vaccinated by Dr Abdul himself and how wonderful he had been with him. I promised I would let my good friend Dr Mannan know.
Many described it as being run with military precision and organisation, and how it all went smooth and swiftly with no fuss.
The marshals were once again kept well supplied by Simon… hot chocolate… Bratwurst sausages… and donations of cakes and doughnuts were provided by other members of VIC.
Veteran Graham directed people to me, describing me as the mad lady, the crazy lady, the one with the funny hat, the furloughed Disney worker so they could to get instructions on how to access the building. I only took exception to the word lady!!
Someone thought we were being paid for standing for 5 hours in the cold… I quickly corrected that misconception.
The overwhelming majority of people were kind, courteous and respectful. They were grateful and relieved to be getting their vaccination and the common thread was ‘I can get my life back’… and ‘thank heavens we live in Britain’.
Next shift?
Writing – it’s what I do