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How It All Began
 In the early part of 1953 the Secretary of South Staffs Council asked Mr D.J.D. Smith (pictured here) 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. He received a very positive response and in July 1954 the inaugural meeting was held.
Early Days
 The original 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 Peoples 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: 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, wearing a space suit, from Stafford to Blackpool to raise money for new premises. The walk took him 37 hours and 45 minutes.
Move 1 & Name Change
In 1973, due to the public’s confusion of the Council for Social Services’ name with the Council Social Services, 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 was launched
 In early 1973, SDVS moved to new premises at 65 Eastgate Street (in row of cottages pictured right). This is now the site of the Police Station.
Move 2 & New Chairman
 Mr Merlin Maddock retired as Chairman in 1974 and former Mayor, Mr Norman Potter (pictued left) was appointed as the new Chairman of SDVS.
 In 1974, after a couple of years negotiation, Stafford District Voluntary Services moved into the new SDVS Centre in the old gas works office in Chell Road (pictured below). 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 1980s
 In 1981 Mrs Salome Dainton (pictured left) 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. She is pictured below.
It was in May 1989 that SDVS set up a new organisation ‘Hospice at Home’ which was later to become Katharine House Hospice.
The Early 1990s
1990 saw SDVS move to its present premises in North Walls which are pictured below. 15 organisations had their offices there and 2 new meeting rooms were available for hire.
In 1991 Val Moore left SDVS to head up the now independent Hospice at Home and Mrs Helen Dart was appointed and is still the Chief Officer today.
 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
THE LATE 1990s TO TODAY!
 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 once more.
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 non-profit organisations through its new service, Skill Base.
  2004 was the 50th Anniversary of SDVS and the occasion was marked by celebrations in the Market Square. See pictures left.
In 2004 SDVS began managing a new role, Domestic Violence Co-ordinator, to work in conjunction with other organisations involved in the issue of domestic violence and to produce a common approach to domestic violence issues across these groups.
In 2005 SDVS began management of Back 2 Bikes, a project where individuals with particular difficulty in finding employment repair and restore second hand bicycles in an environment which aims to help them get into paid employment again.
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