The Women’s Royal Voluntary Service has been playing its part in community work for more than 80 years.

It was established in 1938 as Britain prepared for war with Germany and has continued to perform an important role in public life ever since.

The organisation is best known for its meals on wheels, but as members will tell you, they offer much more than that.

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In Picture 1, we see Margaret Hope, centre, receiving a long-service certificate in 1986 from WRVS county organiser Helen Gilbert. left, with former organiser Margaret Dyson on the right.

Mrs Hope had spent more than 20 years as a WRVS volunteer helping to run the Highfield Darby and Joan Club at Headington, Oxford.

WRVS member Dorothy Wheeler said: “It has always been a very active club and Mrs Hope has done a tremendous amount of work for it.”

WRVS members at Witney took over the Corn Exchange in the town to publicise their work and show that they offered more than just meals on wheels.

They also provided a books on wheels service, ran hospital tea bars, cooked at the Elms Day Centre and were available for emergency work.

In Picture 2, we see WRVS branch organiser Rita King admiring a floral display with Alix King, six, of Witney.

Oxford Mail: The message in Picture 3 was clear – Thame WRVS needed more members. Local WRVS organiser Pat Martin, left, and Nadine Attar were appealing at Thame market in 1988 for volunteers to help them restore services which had had to be curtailed after members retired.

Oxford Mail: Two stalwarts of the WRVS meals on wheels service at Didcot in Picture 4 received long-service medals in 1987.

They were Kathleen Dowle, left, of Orchard Way, Harwell, and Freda Lane, of Lydalls Road, Didcot, who both helped with meals on wheels. Ted Butler, WRVS deputy county organiser, made the presentations.

Oxford Mail: Medals for years of service were also handed to the three women on the right in Picture 5 – Olive Wells, of Headley Way, Headington, Kathleen Peterkin, of Over Norton, near Chipping Norton, and Madeleine Warner, of St Anne’s Road, Headington.

They are seen in 1983 with Jill Ford, left, WRVS area organiser for Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire, and Oxfordshire organiser Helen Gilbert.

Picture 6 shows members repairing some of the two tons of clothing given during World Refugee Year in 1960.

Among those hard at work at Government buildings in Marston Road, Oxford, were, left to right, Mrs F Jenkins, Mrs M Hirons and Mrs P Hartley. Consignments had already been sent to Lebanon and Gaza.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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