As part of the global effort to get as many people vaccinated against COVID-19 as possible, our Architectural Coatings site at Birstall, UK, recently became a pop-up vaccine center. The center opened up its doors to PPG colleagues, their families, friends, our customers and the local community in a bid to beat this virus. Total number of 564 people were vaccinated. Natasha Ram, who is a volunteer at other vaccine centers, shares her story and gives us some background into this lifesaving initiative.
Volunteering Is “The Nicest Feeling”
Natasha Ram, PPG brand manager for Johnstone’s Trade Facades, External Wall Insulation (EWI) & Render and Performance Coatings at the Birstall site, has been volunteering at vaccine centers since the rollout of the vaccine. She signed up to be a volunteer as part of the UK National Health Service (NHS) Volunteer Responders program, launched at the start of the pandemic. At the end of 2020, the scheme extended to include volunteering at vaccination sites.
She has volunteered at a few different vaccination sites in her local area. Her tasks have included welcoming patients, helping with form completions, ensuring social distancing and sanitization, monitoring patients after they’ve received their vaccines and helping patients find their way through the site.
“We Are All in This Together”
Natasha felt passionately about volunteering because the pandemic has affected so many of us in many ways and the UK NHS was playing an incredible part in looking after everyone.
In fact, she says that volunteering has been her favorite part about this year.
Keeping Our People and Communities Safe
Natasha reassures anyone unsure about getting a vaccine that, while they are being performed on a mass scale, the sites are welcoming, safe and offer a very individual service where your questions will be answered.
There are lots of places you can go – specific locations at specific times as well or drop-in clinics. Plus now, thanks to PPG’s cooperation with local authorities, it was even possible to visit our own pop-up vaccine center at the Birstall site.
The ease with which visitors could drop in at a time suitable to them, especially for those working shifts, and a location that was practically on their doorstep meant making a positive difference in helping save lives and taking pressure off the NHS.
Richard Armour, manufacturing director, Architectural Coatings UK and Ireland adds:
In total, 564 people were vaccinated at our Birstall site on Monday, June 14.
A Feeling Unlike Any Other
Natasha has been part of the PPG family for six years now, and it’s a wonder she has any time for volunteering as she has held many roles within the marketing team in her time with us.
One of her favorite things about PPG is that she gets to work with “really great people every day” and has the “opportunity to drive forward market plans and initiatives”.
She says that if you’re thinking about volunteering, make it happen! There are so many opportunities out there, whether related to the pandemic or not.
We at PPG are committed to helping make people’s lives better by taking an active role in local communities. It is not just important to become part of the local people’s lives, it is about going the extra mile to understand the ways in which we can contribute to the places we work in and help the people that live there.