Leaflet titled ‘You’ve had your vaccine, now please help others’ from the Science Museum NHS COVID-19 vaccination centre, 2021

'Over 2000 Steward Volunteers are needed every day and we need you more than ever.'

Volunteers were essential to the COVID-19 vaccine roll out out in the United Kingdom acting in a number of rolls including directing people around clinics in unfamiliar sites and buildings. A QR code on the poster took people to a website to sign up. In 2021, more than 100,000 people gave their time to help. The NHS Voluneer Responders programme was set up in March 2020 in response to the pandemic. NHS England, the Royal Voluntary Service and GoodSam came together to share expertise and deploy volunteers to where they were most needed.

After weeks of careful planning and installation, the NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Centre at the Science Museum first welcomed people to receive their COVID-19 vaccine on 11 March 2021. Run by NHS staff and volunteers, the clinic delivered over 122,000 doses to people over the course of a year. People had to pre-book their appointments when invited by the NHS. When the clinic first opened, the museum was closed to visitors but reopened on 19 May 2021 for five days a week.