The "heroic" volunteer army who have given up their time to make the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out a "monumental success" have been thanked with gifts and treats this week.

For Volunteers' Week, NHS bosses from Swindon and across the region wanted to thank those who have helped out for the part they have played across the pandemic.

Staff and volunteers from vaccination centres have been gifted a commemorative 'thank you' pin badge to highlight their key role in the vaccination programme.

And elsewhere, volunteers were treated to a celebration event at Bath Racecourse on Monday where they were thanked with a special tea party.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

Thousands have come forwards since the first vaccination was administered in December 2020 so that, in total, more than 2.2 million Covid vaccinations have been given out across the region - including Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire.

This means more than 89 per cent of the region's population have been jabbed with both primary doses and the booster dose.

Husband and wife Robin and Angela Horne say that volunteering at a Wiltshire vaccination centre gave them "great purpose to their week".

Retired engineer Robin said: “Being retired, time is your own and so it has been great to be able to give back."

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

The Clinical Commissioning Group's director of nursing and quality said: “A year ago, all of our lives were still being dominated by the continual threat of Covid-19, and it was only with the help of our generous volunteers that we were able to persevere and come out the other side with the vast majority of the local population fully vaccinated.

“I’d like to say a special thank you to everyone who has donated their time to help the vaccine programme, especially all those who cancelled their Christmas and New Year plans at the last minute to help us deliver the booster vaccination at speed and turn the tide on the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

“Although Covid-19 is not making headlines in the way it once was, the virus is still present in our communities, which is why it’s still so important for people to get vaccinated if they haven’t already, and for people who are eligible to do so to top up their immunity with a booster jab.”

Vaccinations continue to be given at venues including Swindon's Steam Museum. Visit the NHS website to book an appointment.