'We salute you': Queen praises UK's 405,000 coronavirus volunteers

The Queen has thanked the hundreds of thousands of people who have volunteered to help vulnerable people during the coronavirus crisis.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed earlier on Wednesday that 405,000 people signed up to volunteer just 24 hours after the appeal was launched.

The royal family later said on Twitter: "In the last 24 hours, over 405,000 of you have volunteered to become NHS Volunteer Responders, to help with simple but vital tasks for vulnerable people, including delivering medicines from pharmacies and driving patients to appointments."

The Queen thanked the Royal Voluntary Service, which has promoted the push for volunteers.

She added: "Volunteers always have a huge role to play in society, but never more so than in difficult times - and for that we salute you."

The Government asked fit and healthy people on Tuesday to volunteer to take vital supplies like food and medicine to vulnerable people, who are most at risk from the virus.

And national medical director of NHS England Stephen Powis told BBC Breakfast he was "bowled over" by the public response to the call for volunteers.

The Government has also launched the National Care Force to help connect volunteers with care homes that need support.

Volunteers can sign up here: https://www.goodsamapp.org/NHS