A Croydon man has reached a milestone of completing 600 tasks to support the NHS and south London communities.

Since 2020, Irving Frances has been helping people, from assisting with grocery and prescription collection for the old and vulnerable, to making friendly phone calls to those in need of a chat and stewarding at his local Covid-19 vaccination sites.  

Irving is one of over 40,000 volunteers making a difference through NHS and Care Volunteer Responders.

Irving said: “Volunteering gave me a new purpose after retirement.

“I have found volunteering very rewarding and enjoyable, especially stewarding.

“I enjoy seeing how grateful people are when I help them.”

Irving’s volunteering efforts have protected the health of some of the most vulnerable people in his community, alongside contributing to the success of the biggest vaccination programme in history.

He added: “Something that might seem small to you can make a big difference to someone else.

“My favourite part about volunteering is being able to do several different activities.”

The programme is delivered by Royal Voluntary Service and GoodSAM, to support the NHS and healthcare teams across England.

He hopes his achievement of completing 600 tasks will encourage fellow south London residents to step forward and give volunteering a go.

Irving added: “It keeps things interesting and allows me to support my community in various ways.

"I would definitely recommend volunteering to others.”

Sam Ward OBE, Deputy CEO of Royal Voluntary Service, said: "Completing 600 tasks is a highly impressive accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud and thankful for Irving’s efforts.

“His hard work has undeniably made a positive impact in South London, supporting the NHS, healthcare teams, and those most vulnerable in his community.

“I’d encourage anyone feeling inspired to give back to visit our website and become a volunteer today.

“Whether you go on to complete one task, or one thousand, a single action can be all it takes to make a difference.”

People can find out more about volunteering on the Royal Voluntary Service website.