The Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS)

During World War II, it is known that the women had to work when the men went to war. Women had to work in factories, land and do their housework as well. However, there is this voluntary group called “The Women’s Voluntary Service (WVS)” which did whatever that was needed. Most of them were older people because the younger ones were in factories and working on farms, so the younger ones were too exhausted to do extra work after their job is done. By 1943, there were one million members already. What this group did was they provided people with tea and refreshments when the people were doing their jobs, such as clearing places after bombings happened. They collected scrap metals that could fill four railway carriages in one month, looked after people who were homeless from German bombings and supported everyone. When they were not doing voluntarily work, they knitted socks, clothing and did other things for men. Some also adopted people and provided them with whatever they needed, such as warm knitted clothing.

From http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/women_WW2.htm