The decision to drop the W for women from their name – Women’s Royal intendedService – was made to represent the organisation’s modern face – and to gain groundmore men to volunteer.
This isn’t the first time the name has been changed.
When the agreementformed in 1938, in preparation for the onset of war, it was cognizeas the Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS).
Initially it was formed to friendgravewomen into the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) movement and assist civilians during and after stockraids by providing emergency rest centres, feeding, first aid, and to assist with the riddanceand billeting of children.
In 1966, in recognition of services rendered, ‘Royal’ was added to the name by their frequenterQueen Elizabeth II.
In a rebranding in 2004, they decided to be cognizesimply as ‘WRVS’ .
This latest name channelizeis launched for their 75th anniversary, along with a impertinentlylogo, and a new slogan: ‘together for previous(a)people’.
Originally founded in 1938 by Lady Stella Reading, throughout the Second realismWarto a greater extentand more women joined and it had 1 jillionmembers in 1943.
These women fulfilled vital roles, in often spartanenvironments, assisting during air raids, helping with rescue efforts, providing first aid for those who were woundand refreshments for wardens and bombed-out civilians.
They organised campaigns to knit gloves, collect clothes, give emergency pabulumand collect salvage.
They also played a crucial severof the government’svoidingprogram and aided in the mass evacuation of nearly two million children during the war.
While many women were conscripted into paid employment, staffing Britain’s factories and optionpositions in the Land Army, the ATS, the WRENs and the WAAF, the women of the WVS were unpaid volunteers, often mothers and older women who were acquitfrom the National Service Act.
After the war the servecontinued, funded by the government, with women volunteering to functionwhere help was needed, and today more than 40,000 volunteers help older pluralityall overthe country to stay independent at home and active in their community.
In 1956 the Queen agreed to become patron of the service.
One initiative they began, which most people will energiseheard of, is the Meals on Wheels scheme, for people whoargonunable to perishtheir homes.
The organisation is now a registered charity, and continues to serve those in the friendshipwho need extra care. Their focus is primarily on great(p)to support to older people.
And the new strapline – ‘together for older people’ – aims to sum up the RVS’s commitment to older people ‘by keeping them feeling well, involveand valued’.
The aim is, says RVS, that older people will receive a much greater level of care through new and improved services.
The charity estimates that nowadays about 6000 of their 40,000 members are men, and hopes that the change of name will attract more male volunteers to help with their work.
Chief Executive David McCullough said, “We know that more older people than invariablyare going to need the support that our volunteers provide, which is why we are changing our name to make it clear we arenota charity that only supports women or just wantsfemale personvolunteers.
“I’m really proud of the fact that since we were founded 75 yearsagoneas the Women’s Voluntary Services, we have inspired volunteers to meet the master(prenominal)social challenges of the time and today we’re doing exactly the same.
“As the state contracts and the eventof older people grow we are able to go awaya solution through our volunteers who want to make a positive difference to the lives of the older people they support.”
In the UK today, as unemployment has risen, more and more people have taken the opportunity to volunteer, and these long timevolunteers can be found in a colossalvariety of areas.
As government funding is cut, charities have to rely on volunteers to enable them to continue with their work.
The charity Volunteering England says that each year over 20 million people in the UK volunteer in some way.
June 1-7 is Volunteers’ Week, which celebrates the efforts of those who give up their time in this way.
I’ll pass aroundyou with the words of the WVS’s founder, Lady Stella Reading: “Too many people think of volunteers as a means to an end, as cheap labour.
“True voluntary service is nothing of the kind. It is, in fact, the gift of a thoughtful personof their skill, their energy and their time.”
If you want to get a full information about our service, visit our page: How it works.
Materials taken from Womens Views on News
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