About us
We support people in need in every corner of Britain.
Supporting communities and the NHS
We inspire and enable people to give the gift of voluntary service to meet the needs of the day. Through the power of volunteering, we provide one-to-one, group and online services that improve health and wellbeing, resilience, confidence and connections.
No need has been greater since wartime than the COVID-19 pandemic, and Royal Voluntary Service has been the largest single mobiliser of volunteers to support the COVID response. During the pandemic, our volunteers and staff have made a vital contribution, making hundreds of thousands of welfare and companionship phone calls, essential grocery and prescription deliveries, distributed emergency food packs, delivered activity packs to people living with dementia, made garden gate visits, delivered library books and accompanied clients on walks. They have assisted the NHS with medical equipment supply, patient transport and vaccination services.
We also built a new volunteer army for NHS England, the NHS Volunteer Responders, to shield the NHS and provide practical help to the 2.5 million people most at-risk from COVID-19. The programme represents a volunteering revolution, using technology to register, alert and deploy volunteers quickly, wherever needed. Enabled by the GoodSAM app, the programme has created a safety net of on-call support across England. To date, volunteers have responded to over 2 million help requests. High demand continues and the programme has expanded to support the vaccination programme.
Online, we have established the Virtual Village Hall, a popular activity hub and community that connects people and helps them stay active.
Volunteers will play an important role in the COVID recovery and beyond, and we will continue to support people and communities in need, particularly where there are health inequalities and social deprivation. We will also assist NHS hospitals during seasonal pressures.
To support our volunteers we run a full range of fundraising activities that enable them to continue their vital work.
Supporting the nation for over 80 years
Find out more about Royal Voluntary Service
Working together with local and national partners
We work with companies, charities and health boards across Britain to deliver programmes and activities that support individuals, communities and our NHS.
Commissioned solutions
Delivering programmes and activities that support individuals, communities and our NHS what ever their need.
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Retail solutions
Providing bespoke solutions in almost any environment from hospitals, sports centres, cemeteries and other community locations.
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WRVS Services Welfare
Independent and confidential welfare support service responsive to the needs of single and unaccompanied service personnel at military establishments.
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Commissioned solutions
Delivering programmes and activities that support individuals, communities and our NHS what ever their need.
Take me there
Retail solutions
Providing bespoke solutions in almost any environment from hospitals, sports centres, cemeteries and other community locations.
Take me there
WRVS Services Welfare
Independent and confidential welfare support service responsive to the needs of single and unaccompanied service personnel at military establishments.
Take me thereGovernance
Royal Voluntary Service is a registered charity in accordance with the Charities Act 1993. Our registered charity number in England and Wales is 1015988 and in Scotland is SC038924.
Our registered office is:
Royal Voluntary Service
Hanley Centre
29 Charles Street
Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3JP
Royal Voluntary Service is also constituted as a company limited by guarantee and is registered under the Companies Act 1985. Our limited company number is registered in England and Wales, number 2520413.