“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.” Jeremiah 33:6
St Paul’s was redeveloped in 2011, partly so we could have a multi-purpose space. The worship area and the community area are separated by glass screens that we open to form one space.
Since then, the Community hall has thrived, with many activities linked to Social Prescribing in the area, through which we work closely with the local doctor surgeries in providing weekly non-clinical support by providing holistic care such as over 50s exercise classes and mindfulness which has resulted in increasing mobility and reducing blood pressure in participants.
In December 2020 the call came: – would we be interested in having a Vaccine Centre operating from the hall? – Yes, came the reply from the church.
After sorting logistics, particularly, how we would manage the flow of people to adhere to social distancing rules, the vaccine centre opened in the middle of January 2021. Vaccines are now being delivered on behalf of 11 local surgeries.
It was a great privilege to see the first vaccines arrive on Wednesday 13th January, with the vaccines administered the next day. The first batch were the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and having been approved, the Oxford/AstraZenca has been delivered here too.
A milestone was met on 17th February when the Team reached the 10,000 doses mark. Teresa Chapman, the Managing Partner at the Parchmore Medical Group said in the local paper, the Thornton Heath Chronicle, “it was (and is) a team effort” which she was “extremely proud of”. She also wrote “It has been an enormous amount of work, seven days a week, but it has been worth it to see patients being able to have their vaccine close to where they live.”
The first priority group were the 80+, closely followed by the over 75s and now those aged 50 and over. But, of course, the work is not just taking place in the centre – the staff and volunteers are taking the vaccines out to local care homes, those socially isolating due to health conditions and the housebound.
The professionalism of all those working from the building, from the doctors to the volunteers, has been inspiring with everyone greeted with care and compassion. One of the volunteers reported that volunteering had given him back his confidence after contracting COVID earlier in the year.
It’s been a real joy, working from the office on the premises, to see the smiles and joy on people’s faces, especially those in the beginning as for so many of them it was their first venture outside since lock downs had begun.
We are lucky to live in a diverse community but that brings it challenges with many from UK BME groups in our community concerned about whether to have the vaccine or not, especially with all the negative comments being circulated on social media.
I am pleased to say that all the questions raised with the team have been met with genuine compassion and lots of informative information to encourage everyone to take up their invitation when they receive it. Dr Angelo Fernades, Clinical Chair of NHS Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has spoken at many community and church forums and to help further these discussions and give encouragement to the team I was told to expect a visitor.
This proved to be an on/off situation, never quite knowing if a visitor would be coming or not. Finally, we received news to expect a visit on Wednesday ….although who it was to be, I would only find out on the day. There was a lot of activity on site on the Monday with meetings and screenings happening on the premises.
Imagine my surprise, when that morning, I was met with “you need a lateral flow test” and then the news revealed – “it’s to be the HRH the Duchess of Cornwall”.
My first reaction? “Better make sure the entrance to the church is hoovered!”
In was an honour to welcome the Duchess, on behalf of the church, and then introduce her to Dr Fernandes, Teresa Chapman, Dipti Gandhi (heading up the medical team) and two representatives from the BME Forum.
It was so encouraging and uplifting to everyone in the building at the time, and the Duchess showed a real interest – spending time talking to the practioners and those in the queue waiting for their jabs, and visiting the individual cubicles. For the team, who have worked flat out, with little rest, it was a vindication of all their efforts.
Since the royal visit, despite one week of reduced supply, the vaccines continue (15,000 to date vaccinated in the hall and 700 delivered to care homes). The start of the 2nd doses will begin at the end of March as well as keeping the pace going for the 1st doses.
The centre will run for as long as it is needed.
For St Paul’s it truly amplifies our vision statement to be “Open to God, the Community and One Another”. We have an opportunity in this to be a church in the community and we really hope that with the vaccines and the government “road map” we can again enjoy abundant peace and happiness. What a way to celebrate our 150th Anniversary year!
Pictures courtesy of Gill, the Thornton Heath Chronicle and the NHS
