News Archive

#wearetogether: RBH looking for volunteers

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Parveen Yaqoob, wrote to all colleagues this week about how universities across the UK are providing critical support to the NHS in its response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) is an important partner for our University and we are working on a range of activities to support them – more on which will be shared in the coming weeks.

The RBH is currently looking for volunteers in the following areas to help them at a time of unprecedented demand:

• Catering – supporting a range of activities including food preparation, cooking, serving food, cleaning tables and washing up.
• Housekeeping – supporting the Housekeeping team in keeping the hospital wards and other units clean, safe and a pleasant environment for patients, staff and visitors.
• Portering – supporting the Portering team in transporting patients and supplies around the hospital.

The RBH is also looking for volunteering with Laboratory experience to support a range of activities.

There is no requirement or expectation that you volunteer. However, if this is something you feel you can do, please visit the Royal Berkshire Hospital website and register your interest through the RBH COVID-19 Workforce link in the top panel. You can also write to Covid.deployment&volunteering@royalberkshire.nhs.uk or call the coordinating team on 07500 835 565.

To help us provide you with the right support, we request that you speak with your line manager before registering your interest, and where relevant to agree you can volunteer during your normal working time. Once the RBH/NHS has responded to your request, please update your line manager (and copy in Emily Brady on e.e.brady@reading.ac.uk). We will then arrange for any paperwork required to facilitate your volunteering to be sent through.

We are aware of the increasing number of requests for specialist expertise at the University. If you are approached for help by a contact at the NHS, please notify Emily Brady (e.e.brady@reading.ac.uk). This will help us ensure that the requests are managed effectively and any central support is agreed before a commitment is made to the external partner.