Bradford Branch of the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service

Members of Bradford’s Women’s Royal Voluntary Service deliver some 30,000 meals on wheels every year.
The service stretches to more than just the delivery of a hot dinner - the volunteers stop and chat for a while with customers, check on their well-being, monitor room temperature and ensure there are no possible dangers, such as washing drying too near a fire.
Also, if customers have a problem with completing forms or are in need of help in any way, they ensure that help and advice will be made available to them.
And volunteers in Bradford also prepare and serve meals at luncheon clubs throughout the district.
At the Bedale Centre in Buttershaw, 1,095 dinners a year are cooked for pensioners who enjoy a meal in the company of friends. The 230 volunteers in the Bradford district run, among other projects, eight afternoon clubs which provide entertainment, raffles, bingo and day trips for older people.
But the WRVS was set up to help cope with more serious matters. In 1938, as war threatened, it was becoming obvious that many attacks would come from the air and the Air Raid Precautions Department appealed for one million volunteers.
Today, volunteers are still trained emergency service members who are on 24-hour call. The most recent event was the arrival of Kosovan refugees who were flown in to Leeds-Bradford Airport and transported to a reception centre at Wharfedale General Hospital in Otley.
Ann Stokes, volunteering and communications officer, says: “For three weeks the volunteers served refreshments and provided care for these unfortunate people and throughout each night, despite language problems, they and our members made themselves understood, their gratitude was clearly shown on their faces.”
Recently volunteers had their hard work rewarded with medals and certificates. In Bradford, eight from Allerton WRVS club received accolades for 144 years of service.
Men and women who are interested in volunteering with WRVS can ring (01274) 722174 or (01422) 360034.