- Throughout the year, staff, students and alumni from the University of Sheffield have volunteered their time and skills to help the local community
- The University community has fundraised, supported key workers and donated PPE to those who need it
Hundreds of staff, students and alumni from across the University of Sheffield volunteered their time and skills to support the community throughout the pandemic.
In March, the Sheffield Medical Students Helping Hands scheme was launched, organised by students from the University’s Medical Society - MedSoc, offering vital support to frontline doctors, nurses and healthcare workers.
The scheme saw more than 400 Sheffield medical students provide voluntary support in clinical and community roles across South Yorkshire. Students volunteered in hospitals and GP surgeries, delivered medication to patients, volunteered in community centres to care for the elderly, cooked and delivered meals and provided babysitting and childcare support for NHS workers.
President of the MedSoc Hasnain Khan, a fourth year medical student who led the scheme, received a British Empire Medal in recognition of his outstanding services to volunteering.
Earlier this year, departments across the University donated over 160,000 items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontline NHS staff at Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital, giving them the essential equipment needed in clinical settings.
In response to a national call for help, engineers utilised the world class facilities in the University of Sheffield’s Diamond building to 3D print over 5,000 face shields for healthcare workers across the UK.
International Student Support Officer Tim Cooper and previous Sheffield Students’ Union International Officer Sissi Li also launched a PPE donation campaign, which saw our community of international students donate over 3,000 spare face masks to key workers along with encouraging messages and cards.
Staff and students have also volunteered their time, delivering to food banks, as ambulance responders, and providing tutoring to children without access to education during lockdown.
I am incredibly proud that so many of our staff, students and alumni volunteered to support the community, and the compassion and initiative they have shown this year has been remarkable.
Professor Koen Lamberts
President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield
Professor Koen Lamberts, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: “I am incredibly proud that so many of our staff, students and alumni volunteered to support the community, and the compassion and initiative they have shown this year has been remarkable.
"Their immediate reaction to the pandemic was to ask what they could do to help, and I know that healthcare workers, charities and community groups will be grateful for their support.
"They have made a real difference to our communities and I would like to thank them for everything they have done."
Students and societies have continued to fundraise throughout the year for different causes with Sheffield RAG (Raising and Giving) raising around £50,000 throughout 2019-2020, Sheffield University’s Dental Students’ Society raising over £1,000 for Sheffield Children’s Hospital and the Sheffield University Cricket Club raising over £10,000 for men’s health charities during ‘Movember’.
The Sheffield Students’ Union officers along with Sheffield RAG have also launched a food drive for food banks across the city to help with food poverty which has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
President of Sheffield Students’ Union Beth Eyre, said: “It has been fantastic to see our students supporting others during this time of crisis, despite many facing considerable challenges themselves. It demonstrates the concern we have for our wider Sheffield community and those who live and work in it.
“I'd like to thank all the students who have contributed throughout a difficult past year, and continue to use their time to volunteer and fundraise for schemes within our city.”
Sheffield RAG conducted remote and Covid safe versions of their usual events such as Bummit, a charity hitchhike and virtual RAG week which saw participants climb the Yorkshire peak within their own homes.
Meanwhile, Sheffield Volunteering and Sheffield Students’ Union coordinated the 100 Hour Third Sector Placement Scheme, helping students get involved in local charity work as they shared their passions and used technology to reach those facing significant obstacles over the summer.
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