WVS Bulletin and WRVS magazine

The WVS Bulletin and WRVS Magazine was a subscription publication produced monthly for 36 years. Over 419 issues were published between November 1939 to December 1974. They offer a very clear and accessible view of the activities and work that was undertaken over one of the most interesting and diverse parts of our history and is a great place to start your research into WVS and WRVS.

You can access text searchable digital copies for free of all 419 issues of the Bulletin and Magazine through our Heritage Online

Initially the Bulletin was another method of informing WVS members of important information and to share good ideas, but quickly became much more than that, providing a nationwide community. Articles ranged from practical advice on setting up a clothing store, to recipes to make the most of your rations or a poem to lighten the mood.

In later editions well known authors wrote the ‘home page’ column on a variety of subjects from the ‘value’ of theatre, to the dangers of the home. Familiar content in every issue were stories about activities at WVS centres around the country.

The Bulletin is just one of the significant bodies of material produced by WVS and WRVS and offers a very clear and accessible view of the activities and work that were undertaken over one of the most diverse parts of our history.