The new Pateley Bridge covid vaccination centre is set to be a vital lifeline to the people of Nidderdale.
The site at the Pateley Bridge and Bewerley Memorial Hall opened today and has the potential to vaccinate up to 400 people a day. The Stray Ferret visited to speak to some of the staff and volunteers, as well as those excited to receive their jab.
Pharmacist Samina Khan owns Pateley Bridge Pharmacy which is running the site. She said prior to the vaccine centre opening, her patients have had to travel to the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate or Ripon Racecourse, which isn’t always easy.
She said:
“Most of our patients are elderly who’ve had to rely on public transport or Nidderdale Plus to take them. Some have had to use taxis which cost a £60 round trip, or asked children to come over to take them”.
‘A huge difference’
Her comments were echoed by Pateley Bridge GP Lewis Caplin who helped set up the site with Samina. He said he knows of two people who have avoided taking the vaccine because they didn’t want to travel a long distance.
From Pateley Bridge, it’s a 26 mile round trip to the Great Yorkshire Showground site.
He said:
“It’s made a huge difference for those people to walk around the corner and get their vaccine.”
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The Pateley Bridge and Bewerley Memorial Hall on Park Road
Andrew Cockroft is from the Nidderdale Plus community hub. He said over 100 local volunteers have risen to the challenge to help residents get vaccinated at Pateley Bridge as well as in Harrogate and Ripon.
He added:
“All the volunteers are keen to see centres open up that have less of a journey. What Samina has done with Lewis to set it up has been a lot of work. It’s terrific to see people come from around the corner to get their jabs.”
‘The best place on Earth’
Proud Nidderdale resident Phil White said “it means everything” to have a vaccination site near to his home in Dacre — and even walked the five miles in the sunshine to get his second jab.
He said:
“I’ve walked it here and it took two and a quarter hours too. It’s a bit of exercise in the beautiful weather and countryside and I’ve been well looked after here. It’s been superb. Nidderdale is the best place on Earth!”
