Clubs offer stadiums to help NHS with pandemic

Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Leeds United and Manchester City are among a number of Premier League clubs continuing to help in the battle against COVID-19.

Crystal Palace

Selhurst Park in south-east London will become one of capital's biggest vaccination centres when it opens later this month and will play a key role in administering the vaccine to vulnerable groups, alongside doctors' surgeries and primary care networks.

Palace first offered Selhurst Park to the National Health Service at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic last March and when plans were drawn up to roll out the vaccine programme, it was identified as an ideal location for a mass vaccination hub.

"We are proud to be playing our part in helping the NHS deliver the vaccine to as many people as possible as quickly as possible," Palace chairman Steve Parish told the club's official website. "Selhurst Park sits at the heart of our community so we were delighted to put our stadium at the disposal of the NHS.

"Nothing could be more important than the rapid roll-out of the vaccine programme to allow us all to return to something approaching normality."

See: Selhurst Park to be used as NHS vaccination centre

Chelsea

In south-west London, Chelsea have again made the Copthorne Hotel at Stamford Bridge available to frontline NHS workers with the United Kingdom back in lockdown.

The club's owner, Roman Abramovich, will be covering the costs of bed and breakfast accommodation for medical staff who are working long hours and may otherwise face long commutes. Thanks to Chelsea and Abramovich, the rooms will be available at least until the next Government review in mid-February.

See: Stamford Bridge hotels rooms available to the NHS again

Manchester City

City have established a vaccination centre at their Etihad Campus, something they have been working hard towards ever since the announcement last year that the UK's vaccination programme would begin.

The club have also provided access to the Etihad Stadium for the training of nurses and staff in what is just their latest way of showing support.

In April last year they formed a partnership with the NHS and local council to provide a bespoke centre for rest, relaxation and exercise for NHS workers, site access for click-and-collect shopping and a drive-through testing centre.

Since then they have also held special summer clinics at the Etihad Stadium, enabling approximately 6,000 children across Manchester to keep up to date with their immunisations.

See: City proudly supporting coronavirus vaccination centre

Leeds United

Leeds are also hosting a vaccination centre at their Elland Road stadium.