Mert Kaya, 27, who lives in Bishop’s Stortford, has been volunteering at Newham Hospital in East London to play his part in the response to the coronavirus outbreak. On top of his day job, Mert has been travelling to the hospital seven days a week to help complete essential works to increase capacity.
Mert works for Clarion Response, completing repairs and maintenance on homes owned by Clarion Housing Group. As a multi-trade operative, he completes a range of different jobs from plumbing and laying flooring to general DIY, giving him a strong and varied skillset.
Travelling more than 30 miles to Newham Hospital each morning, Mert completes a full day of work on site before completing repairs for Clarion residents on his way home.
Managed by NHS approved building contractors, ‘KRH Contracts Ltd’, the work on site has involved the installation of fan units into wards for ventilation purposes, ensuring that doctors and nurses have a safe working environment whilst treating patients with Covid-19.
Mert said: “After my employer moved to an emergency only repairs service to protect staff and residents, I had a little bit of extra time on my hands. So when my brother-in-law, who works for KRH, told me about the work he and his team were doing at Newham Hospital I decided that offering my time as a volunteer would be the perfect way to put my skills to good use.
“I volunteered initially for a few days but there’s so much to do, I’ve now decided that I’ll stay until we’re done. At the moment, the weekends are just another working day, but the NHS is absolutely incredible and I’m proud to be able to do my bit.”
Kevin Horn, Managing Director of KRH Contracts, said: “We’re delighted to have Mert on our team, assisting us to complete essential works at Newham Hospital.”