Royal Voluntary Service, originally founded in 1938 as the Women’s Voluntary Services for Air Raid Precautions, was formed by Stella Reading to help recruit women to assist civilians during and after air raids and help evacuate children.
Since then, the charity has evolved to tackle some of the biggest social challenges of the day and has inspired and enabled more than three million men and women to give their time to help others.
Posing for a group photo in 1940 are members of Derby Women's Voluntary Service
Lady Reading photographed after receiving her award of DBE from the hands of His Majesty the King at a recent Investiture. On the left is Miss Charnaud (sister of Lady Reading) and on the right Miss Fenne - all of the Women’s Voluntary Service in 1941
Ellen Terry was one of the most famous & celebrated actresses of the English stage, renowned for her brilliant interpretations of Shakespeare. In a career spanning 7 decades & 2 centuries, her extraordinary talent & intellect won her thousands of admirers both at home and abroad.