The paper kicks off the year by helping to rollout the Covid-19 vaccine and gets backing from big brands.
Backed by the NHS and Health Secretary Matt Hancock, The Sun is calling for volunteers to join the over 50,000 people needed to assist the rollout of millions of vaccines.
The crucial volunteer roles will form a key part of the Covid-19 vaccination team, guiding people on site. They will help the vaccination process run safely and efficiently by ensuring social distancing and identifying people who need additional support.
‘Jabs Army’ recruits will sign up through the NHS Volunteer Responder Programme and work as part of a team that will include NHS staff and volunteers.
The Sun has partnered with the Royal Voluntary Service that delivers the programme, along with the GoodSAM app, to support this massive national effort, deploying both The Sun’s print edition and all digital outlets to help drive recruitment over the coming weeks.
The Sun editor-in-chief, Victoria Newton, said: “This is one of the most important campaigns The Sun has ever run. Never has the country needed our brilliant loyal readers more. I will be volunteering, along with other members of The Sun’s staff, ready to do what we can to help us on our road to freedom. No job is too big or too small. Together we can do this to save lives and get Britain back on our feet.”
Health secretary, Matt Hancock, added: “We all have a role to play in getting through this pandemic. The vaccine is our way out and back to normal life. I want to thank The Sun for launching this fantastic campaign and I urge The Sun readers to join the ‘Jabs Army’.”
As of 8 January, 22k have signed up after just five days and some of Britain’s biggest brands have joined The Sun’s Jab Army campaign to provide resources and assistance to the NHS.
Brands including BT, BA, Morrisons, Wetherspoons, Paddy Power, Sky, Hilton, Pure Gyms, TUI, Frankie & Benny’s, UKactive gyms, Vue Cinemas, Bentley, Greene King and Young’s have already pledged their support to The Sun’s appeal, encouraging their huge combined workforce of more than half a million workers to volunteer as stewards, whilst donating unused spaces to help with the biggest vaccination programme in British history.
The NHS backed campaign has been praised by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who hailed it as a “fantastic initiative”, along with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer who said it was “ another chance for all of us to do our bit to support the vaccine effort and defeat this virus.” Bear Grylls has urged former Scouts to become part of the scheme, along with other stars who have backed the campaign including Gary Lineker, Jeremy Clarkson, Matt Lucas, Gordon Ramsay and Piers Morgan.
