Stafford District Voluntary Services

How it all began - the 1950's

In the early part of 1953 the Secretary of South Staffordshire Council asked Mr D.J.D. Smith to set up a specific ‘Council for Social Service’ for Stafford. Douglas J.D. Smith had been the Headmaster of King Edward VI Grammar School, Stafford, since 1946. He served as Headmaster until the Easter term of 1961.

In 1953 he was elected to the post of President of the Stafford Rotary Club. On March 3rd 1953, Smith wrote to a wide cross-section of local charitable organisations, businesses and member organisations and suggested the formation of a dedicated Stafford Council for Social Service.
He received a very positive response and, after much work, in July 1954 the inaugural meeting was held.

Early days - the 60's

The Stafford Council of Social Service (the original name of Stafford District Voluntary Services) held its meetings in 15 Tipping Street supported by The Society of Friends, The Free Church Council, Welfare for the Blind, Toc H, Community Associations, The Red Cross, Citizens Advice Bureau and numerous Old People's Clubs. It ran an annual “Forget Me Not” Flag Day, to raise funds for affiliated charities.

In 1965, the Council affiliated to the Standing Conference of Councils of Social Services and obtained charitable status. The existence and support of the Council for Social Services allowed the growth and eventual spin off of The League of Hospital Friends in 1956, The Fellowship of the Disabled in 1961 and The Marriage Guidance Council in 1962.

The Local Authority and four organisations initially financially supported the Council for Social Service: Inner Wheel; Rotary; Round Table and Soroptomists.
In 1972, Mr Merlin Maddock succeeded Mr William Babb as Chairman of the Council for Social Services. On 24th June 1972 Merlin completed a 100 mile walk from Stafford to Blackpool wearing a space suit, to raise money for new premises. The walk took him 37 hours and 45 minutes.

Move 1 & name change

In 1973, due mostly to the public’s confusion of the Council for Social Service name with the Council's "Social Services" Dept., and the widespread misunderstanding that the Council was part of the Borough Council rather than an independent charity, the name was changed to Stafford District Voluntary Services (SDVS).
During this time the Volunteer Bureau Stafford was launched.

In early 1973, SDVS moved to new premises at 65 Eastgate Street, which is now the site of the Stafford Police Station.

Move 2 & new Chairman

Mr Merlin Maddock retired as Chairman in 1974 and former Mayor, Mr Norman Potter was appointed as the new Chairman of SDVS.

In 1974, after a couple of years negotiation, Stafford District Voluntary Services moved into a new Centre in the old gas works office in Chell Road.

Sainsbury’s now stands on this site. The building was near derelict but during its 16 years the Centre became home to many different organisations. It was during 1974 that SDVS launched its latest service, Community Transport.

The 1980's

In 1981 Mrs Salome Dainton became the new Chairman of SDVS.

Under her chairmanship: Community Transport took delivery of its first wheelchair accessible vehicle in 1982. SDVS was appointed to administer the Baron Davenport’s Emergency Fund in 1983.

Mrs Rae Cork who had been SDVS’s Secretary for many years left the organisation in 1983 and Mrs Val Moore was appointed as the new General Secretary; also in 1983, a Volunteer Bureau was opened in Stone.

Mrs Margaret Gilmore (later Thornton) took over as the Chairman of SDVS in 1985.

It was in May 1989 that SDVS set up a new organisation ‘Hospice at Home’ which was later to become Katharine House Hospice.

Into the 1990's

1990 saw SDVS move to its present premises in North Walls. 15 organisations had their offices there and 2 new meeting rooms were made available for hire.

In 1991 Val Moore left SDVS to head up the now independent Hospice at Home and Mrs Helen Dart was appointed as General Secretary.

In 1992 the ‘Access’ group was formed by SDVS to explore the provision of access for the disabled in Stafford Borough. 'Access' is now an independent organisation.
In 1993 SDVS helped the Gnosall & District Voluntary Car Scheme into existence, and Mr Paul Venables became SDVS’s chairman. Home-Start, which provides support to young families, was also formed.

The late 1990's and the new Millennium

Ms Cathy Jones became SDVS Chairman in 1996 and two new SDVS projects were set up - The Carers’ Support Project and Stafford & District Furniture Exchange (recycling unwanted furniture for distribution to those in need). SDVS recognised the unmet need for mobility-impaired shoppers in 1996 and in 1998 ‘Shopmobility’ opened its doors in the Wilkinson’s Car Park in Stafford to provide scooters and wheelchairs to enable people with mobility difficulties to go shopping in the town centre.

In 2000 SDVS began a payroll service for other charities, and in 2001 ‘Gnosall Ruralink’ began providing transport from villages west of Stafford to link up with public transport in Stafford.

In June 2001, the Carers’ Support Project became an independent charity - Carers’ Association Southern Staffs.
The Furniture Exchange also gained independence in 2003 and SDVS nurtured a new charity, Community Link, into existence in the same year which took on the role SDVS Community Transport had provided for so many years.

SDVS began offering training to voluntary and community organisations through its new service, SkillBase.

We were 50

2004 was the 50^th Anniversary of SDVS and the occasion was marked by celebrations in the Market Square.

In 2004, SDVS began managing a new role, Domestic Violence Coordinator, to work in conjunction with other organisations involved in the issue of domestic abuse and to produce a common approach to domestic violence issues across these groups.

2005 saw SDVS begin management of Back 2 Bikes, a project which repairs and restores donated bicycles in an environment which aims to help those struggling with employment get into paid work again.
Back 2 Bikes moved to full independence from SDVS in April 2010 and can be found at www.back2bikes.org.uk.

New Chief Officer

In 2007, Helen Dart retired after some 15 years as Chief Officer and Mike Allen was appointed.
SDVS is Mike's fourth Chief Executive post.

Following study of Architecture at the University of Portsmouth, Mike spent time as a volunteer in the voluntary housing movement of the 1970's. Mike has spent all his working life in the Voluntary Sector, including time as an Adventure Playground Worker, Youth Worker, Youth Work Manager, Community Development Officer, Strategic ICT Manager and as CEO for an Age Concern organisation. Mike obtained his MBA from the University of Birmingham, UK.

In 2007, SDVS took on the 'hosting' of the SCIO Secretariat staff, which has made SDVS much-more central within SCIO partner organisations.

Help wanted...

In 2009, Stafford District Voluntary Services is desperately looking for new premises. We've been at North Walls for over 19 years and the building is slipping into Kings Mead. Help!