An Easy Jet cabin crew worker who urged the public to ‘pull together’ and vowed to start volunteering at the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic has bragged about making non-essential trips to pick up decking boards.
All first-aid trained cabin crew from both Virgin Atlantic and East Jet have been invited to use their skills to volunteer at the Nightingale field Hospitals across the country, Ashley Jay was one of those who signed up to volunteer.
Speaking to Sky News Mr Jay said: ‘It’s really important that the whole country pulls together at the moment, everybody no matter what background you’ve got you can help and volunteer and do something good for your country in a time of need.
‘I think its already pretty huge, it’s worrying but it is what it is, everybody needs to pull up their socks and take it on the head.’
Yet on Good Friday Mr Jay Boasted to Twitter that he had made a non-essential trip to pick up some decking boards he spotted someone had given away.
Sharing a picture of the boards poking out the back of his convertible the cabin crew worker wrote: ‘Day 71538 of lockdown. I think i’ve gone insane.
On Good Friday Mr Jay Boasted to Twitter that he had made a non-essential trip to pick up some decking boards he spotted someone had given away
‘Someone in my village was getting rid of decking and instead of me spending £70 on buying new decking boards I said i’d take hers away for a little project i’m doing whilst I’m off. Safe to say I made it back in one piece.’
The London Excel centre which has been converted into a 4,000 bed field hospital is now open, however those in other regions such as Birmingham and Manchester are still being set up.
Airlines staff who sign up to help in the hospitals would be expected to carry out support tasks such as changing bed sheets under the supervision of nurses.
Sharing a picture of the boards poking out the back of his convertible the cabin crew worker wrote: ‘Day 71538 of lockdown. I think i’ve gone insane’
Their salaries would continue to be paid by their airline. Easy Jet furloughed around 4,000 of its UK cabin crew in late march as they grounded fleets of planes.
The airline have now asked 9,000 of it’s UK based staff, with training in CPR, to volunteer at the hospitals.
Tina Milton, Director of Cabin Services for easyJet, said: ‘We have all needed the NHS at some point in our lives and so we are so proud that our crew can now help to support the NHS at this crucial time.
‘The NHS is at the forefront of dealing with this health emergency but the training and skills our cabin crew have, working closely with the medical professionals, could help make a real difference.’
He said: ‘Someone in my village was getting rid of decking and instead of me spending £70 on buying new decking boards I said i’d take hers away for a little project i’m doing whilst I’m off’
Corneel Koster, Chief Customer Officer at Virgin Atlantic, said: ‘We are very grateful to the NHS for everything they are doing in extremely challenging circumstances and we’re committed to doing all we can to support the national effort against the rapid acceleration of Covid-19.’
‘We are very proud of our highly skilled people at Virgin Atlantic and since the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was announced, we have been inundated with our employees looking to help other organisations at this time of crisis. The NHS approached us with this unique opportunity as they recognise the value and experience our medically trained cabin crew and trainers will bring to the incredible Nightingale Hospital initiative.’
‘In addition, our cargo business is very busy with extra flights, keeping global supply chains running and transporting essential medical supplies into the UK at this time.
Ashley Jay (pictured) did not respond to request for comment. Easy jet have asked 9,000 of it’s UK based staff, with training in CPR, to volunteer at the hospitals
Staff and volunteers working at the new hospitals will also be offered free accommodation. Those staying in the hotels will have breakfast provided and lunch or dinner depending on the shifts that they are working.
Ashley Jay did not respond to request for comment.
Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, said: ‘Nurses, doctors and other vital health and social care staff are working day and night to provide the best possible care to patients as the NHS continues to fight this global health pandemic.
‘The NHS is mobilising like never before, but the scale of this challenge has not been seen in peacetime so we need all the support we can get.
‘Thousands of nurses, medics and other expert staff are returning to work alongside us, but we need everyone to do their bit – whether that is working in one of our current health or social care services, working in the Nightingale Hospital, volunteering to help the NHS or following government advice to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.’
St John Ambulance are also supplying hundreds of volunteers to help staff the first Nightingale hospital at the ExCeL centre in London.
Many airline staff are first aid trained or hold other clinical qualifications as well as being security cleared, while NHS clinicians will oversee their work – with expert training provided to all new recruits when they sign-up.