'An amazing bunch of people' - Vaccine volunteers win mayor's award

Fakenham Town Council announced that the 60-strong team of volunteers from Fakenham Medical Practice, who have helped during the coronavirus vaccination programme, are the winners of the mayor’s community award.

They were announced on June 2 at a scaled-down annual town assembly.

Gilly Foortse, mayor of the town said: “The intention is to plant an Acer palmatum tree in the surgery grounds in the autumn to include a plaque in memory of this most laudable act by such a large group of people.”

Wendy Fenwick is the volunteer co-ordinator at the practice and she heaped praise on her team who have been there every day since December.

“They have run the programme like a machine,” she said.

“We have some truly amazing volunteers and I have to say I have got more out of it than I have put in. I have made a huge number of new friends, met some selfless individuals, and had a great amount of fun.

“I am overwhelmed by how lovely they all were, an amazing bunch of people.”

Just two volunteers who have helped out during the Fakenham medical practice vaccine program. (Image: Wendy Fenwick)

“In terms of the award we are thrilled to receive it, we were stunned because we have become used to it because it is our day job."

The mayor’s community award shield given to the winners of the award. (Image: Archant)

The volunteers, who range from 24 to their 70s, have done everything from helping people to and from their cars, getting them booked in and keeping an eye over them after they had their dose.

One of them even convinced a local garden centre to donate a bench to them, so patients had somewhere outside to sit. The bench will live under the tree once it’s planted.

Volunteers were working come rain or shine. (Image: Wendy Fenwick)

The council is hoping to present the award at the larger town meeting they hope to host in September after their annual assembly attendance had to be reduced to stay in line with covid regulations.

Sarah Buchan, CEO of Fakenham Medical Practice, said: “The volunteers have been amazing, we really couldn’t have done it without them. They are here through all weathers and really do feel like we are all one big team.

“Thank you to each and every one of them and their families for sharing them with us.”

The60 strong team of volunteers from Fakenham Medical Practice, who have helped during the coronavirus vaccination program, are the winners of the mayor’s community award. (Image: Wendy Fenwick)