Volunteers’ Week: Cadent support the vaccination of 10,000 people in the West Midlands

Since the start of the year, Cadent staff have supported the vaccination of over 10,000 members of the West Midlands community.  

When the news of the COVID-19 vaccination broke, local landmark Lichfield Cathedral immediately offered its historic space for use as a vaccination clinic. The Cathedral needed to be able to vaccinate hundreds of people every day, a task that required precision organisation.  

Step in Gareth Button, Cadent’s Head of Logistics. Gareth quickly pulled together a team of volunteers who were tasked with keeping people safe and organised when they arrived at the Cathedral, ensuring that the centre’s vaccination targets were achieved.  

Every Cadent employee is entitled to two paid volunteer days per year and as well as utilising these many team members went back to offer support in their spare time.  

Gareth said:“It means so much to have been able to support our local community in this way and I want to extend my thanks to every single person who supported the vaccination effort at Lichfield Cathedral.
 
"As an employer Cadent were very clear that I could have whatever support I needed to get the job done and despite the unpleasantness of the last year this has given us all some really positive memories to look back on” 

Cadent also provided a marquee for the Cathedral to use, to keep the vulnerable groups of people waiting for their vaccinations warm and dry.   

A Lichfield Cathedral spokesperson said: “The Cathedral team, and the community of Lichfield, is most grateful for the support of Cadent, its willing and capable volunteers and its investment in the marquee. It is worth remembering that we started all of this in January and given the age range of priority groups, offering shelter from the wind, rain and snow, has been invaluable. 

“May I offer our heartfelt thanks and an open invitation to visit us at the Cathedral where you will always find a warm welcome.”