Swindon's Covid vaccine centre at STEAM closes after two years

But on Saturday, January 28, the doors to the centre closed and a Covid vaccination was administered there for the final time, marking the end of an impressive local health effort.

For the staff and volunteers, many of whom had been there from the very beginning when the centre first opened in December 2020, it was an emotional moment.

Staff hard at work getting the last covid jabs done on the last day of Swindon's STEAM vaccination centre (Image: Dave Cox)

Read More: Volunteers thanked for a massive effort in vaccinating Swindon against Covid

Many said they would miss going there every day, that the group of people they worked alongside had become 'family' and they were proud of the massive life-saving effort they were all part of. 

Although they would all be leaving, a memento of their time there had been left behind.

On the wall in the great hall, which used to be full of hundreds of people getting vaccinated, now sits a plaque from Swindon Borough Council detailing the number of vaccines administered (393,176 in total) along with three empty vaccine vials used there, one for each company Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna. 

A permanent reminder to commemorate the efforts of hundreds of staff and volunteers who worked in the vaccination centre at Swindon's STEAM museum (Image: Newsquest)

Jo Knight started as a volunteer but was the vaccination centre manager at the time of closure.

She said: "It's weird for it to be ending, nobody thought it would be going this long, but now that it is finally stopping it's a poignant moment.

"I've been here for 18 months in total and have seen a lot of people walk through the doors. I've seen children and young people well into their hundreds, all coming together. It's been amazing. 

Vaccination centre manager Jo Knight on STEAM museum vaccine centre in Swindon's last day (Image: Dave Cox)

"The people made it so special. Everyone coming together for a common goal, lots of lasting friendships have been formed. It’s something for us all to be proud of, massive achievement.”

Many of the staff and volunteers there on the last day were happy to share their stories, all of them sad that things were coming to an end.

Eleanor Blackett said it was her "favourite part" of her working week.

She added: “People were so appreciative of what we were doing, it was nice to recognised for that and told thank you. It was a nice feeling.

"I’m really upset. Everyone’s been so happy being here. It has been a team, and I will miss that."

The vaccination centre at STEAM's last day was a busy one for retired teacher Janet Brown (middle) helping to check people in (Image: Dave Cox)

Gemma Michalek agreed, she added: “I’ll stay in touch with a lot of the people we’ve met. I will definitely be missing it, I’ll be sitting at home next week wondering what to do.

“It will stay with us forever.”

Janet Brown was a retired teacher, she started volunteering at the centre because she felt she could do something useful. She helped to check people in, man the doors and marshal people during the one year she was at the centre.

“The people here have been so positive, and it has been so well organised,” she said, “I feel it was the town at its best.

“It felt good to know that I was making a difference in my own small way.”

Stella Randell a vaccine administrator who was at the STEAM museum vaccination centre from the very beginning, and there at the end (Image: Dave Cox)

Some people had been there since the very first day and were there at the last. One of those people was administrator Stella Randell.

“I never thought I’d still be sat here two years later and now it’s really surreal to think about it coming to an end. Everyone has been really nice and the team spirit has been amazing. I will miss it and fondly remember it for the rest of my life.”

Vaccinator Sue Geerah, a retired triage nurse, was also there since the very beginning, and in two years, she will have single-handedly administered around 24,000 vaccines.

“This is just a testament to what can happen when everyone has the same goal," she said. 

To commemorate their service, Sue and Stella were the ones to administer the last vaccine. 

Staff member Carol Wilkins on the centre's last day (Image: Dave Cox)