Staff from the University of Birmingham will be spreading Christmas cheer during the closure period helping people in need.
Among the many volunteer hours that staff and students will be taking part in, Mrs Parbir Jagpal from the School of Pharmacy will this year be helping at a centre being set up by housing charity Shelter.
Parbir is the Director of Prescribing at the School of Pharmacy, University of Birmingham and Chair of the Race Equality Committee, Deputy EDI lead for the Medical and Dental School and has worked on a number of EDI projects at college and university level. Already recognised in the Queen's birthday honours list 2020, Parbir was awarded a 'British Empire Medal' (BEM) for services to diversity and inclusion.
Motivated by her research looking at developing pharmacy and prescribing related healthcare services for persons experiencing homelessness, Parbir will be doing shifts at St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School in central Birmingham.
Parbir said: “I’ve been wanting to volunteer at Christmas for a number of years. It’s a time of year when persons experiencing homelessness may feel the struggle more intensely as the world around is celebrating and spending time with family and friends.
Volunteering .... provides support over this period so that guests can experience joy, safety and company during that time
Parbir Jagbal
“Volunteering at Shelter provides support over this period so that guests can experience joy, safety and company during that time. It also helps Shelter to engage with guests to consider providing further support to meet immediate and longer-term needs.
“I have a keen interest professionally and personally in equality, diversity, inclusion, social justice and health inequalities. I have been a practicing pharmacist for 30 years and have a breadth of experience working in primary care for the last 22 years in diverse communities with varying needs.”
