The Royal Voluntary Service is the largest volunteering organisation in British history; it was founded in 1938 as a British women's organisation to recruit women into the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) services.
The RVS now aims to enrich the lives of older people and their families across Britain, working alongside hospitals, local authorities and other organisations, providing support for older people – help that is delivered with warmth and friendliness by teams of dedicated volunteers. In Bromley we run a Transport Scheme (which involves volunteer drivers giving their time to drive), and accompany users on their shopping and hospital trips.
Now called RVS, the service was called Women's Voluntary Services (WVS) in 1938–1966; and Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) in 1966–2004.