CVWW stands for the Council of Voluntary Welfare Work, an umbrella organisation representing 10 mainly Christian charitable organisations that support the work of the Armed Forces worldwide.

In BFG there is the Salvation Army, the Church Army and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). They all operate centres and provide canteen and newsagent services throughout BFG.

The delivery of this welfare provision is achieved through the CVWW Centre Leaders, who are more than just shop managers. Most are Integrated into Station life directly involved with the units they support and within the ‘inner circle’ of welfare provision at whichever garrison they serve. They are the much-needed ‘Listening Ear’ particularly for the young soldier away from home for the first time, or the young wife who is faced with coping on her own. The CVWW Centre provides an important ‘non-military environment’ in which friendships can be formed outside the formal chain of command and from which CVWW Centre Leaders can play a referral role to the appropriate agency or Unit Welfare Officer when support is required.

There are opportunities for people to volunteer to assist in CVWW’s work whether to help run an after-school club, a holiday club for children, or to go out in support of military exercises with the mobile canteen services.

For more information, contact you local CVWW Centre or call Lt Col (Retd) John Batty on Mil: 82 3921 or Civil: 05221 25001