Thanks have been given to the near 350 volunteers who have dedicated nearly 18,000 hours to run the community testing sites across Warwickshire.

As National Volunteers' Week (1 – 7 June) gets underway leader of Warwickshire County Council, Cllr Izzi Seccombe has sent a message of thanks to the county's volunteers for supporting their communities during the pandemic.

In her message Cllr Seccombe said: "I particularly want to thank those volunteers and our colleagues atWarwickshireCAVAwho have played such a crucial role in the targeted testing programme.

"Our first community testing site was stood up in record time just before Christmas last year, with all the sites in place by early January, and we really would not have been able to provide this vital service to our communitieswithoutyou.339 volunteers havecompleted at least one shift andgivenover17,600 volunteer hours, with this figure increasing by the day.

"Many of these volunteers have alsobeen supporting the recent surge testing in Nuneatonhelping us to get Covid testing to as many people as possible."

Due to the reduced demand for testing elsewhere in the county WCC has recently updated the opening times for the Leamington Pound Lane testing centre.

With home testing kits now available from 100 different pharmacies in the county the council has also reduced the number of testing centres to five as the Bedworth site has officially closed.

Cllr Seccombe continued: "The last year has shown the generosity of people wishing to support others in theirneighbourhood.The distribution of food and supplies;prescription deliveries;providing essential transport;shopping and befriending, especially to people shielding andisolating.

"It's no exaggeration to say that the support provided by the sector has been lifesaving and life changing. We are moved by the kindness and solidarity present across the county andthecommunity spirit which has been fostered."