About North Herts & Stevenage Centre for Voluntary Services
Who We Are
North Herts & Stevenage CVS is here for the people who make good things happen locally.
We support charities, community and faith groups, social enterprises and anyone running a project that benefits people across North Hertfordshire and Stevenage. Whether you're a small volunteer-led group meeting in a church hall or a growing organisation delivering services across the region, we’re here to help you thrive.
What We Do
Our role is simple: we amplify, strengthen and champion the local voluntary sector.
The voluntary sector plays a vital part in everyday life. It bridges gaps in publicly and privately available services. It responds quickly when needs change and it understands the specific challenges and strengths of our local communities because it’s rooted in them.
We support organisations with practical advice, training, connections and funding guidance. We help groups grow, adapt and work more effectively. We bring people together to share learning, spark partnerships and explore new ways of doing things.
And we champion volunteering - because behind almost every community project is someone giving their time, energy and heart to make it happen.
See Our Impact Report for 2025/26
Why It Matters
Across North Herts and Stevenage, hundreds of groups are quietly doing remarkable work every day. They tackle isolation, support families, protect green spaces, run youth activities, provide food, offer advice, create safe spaces and so much more.
Many rely heavily on volunteers - a hidden army of local people who go above and beyond for others. Their contribution often goes unseen, but it keeps our communities connected and resilient.
We believe this work deserves recognition, investment and strong support. When local organisations are well supported, the whole community benefits.
How We Work
We are locally focused and people-centred. We listen. We understand that every organisation is different and every community has its own story.
We work collaboratively - with local groups, statutory partners and other networks - to make sure the voluntary sector is represented and has a strong voice. We test ideas, explore new approaches and look for practical solutions that make life easier for the people delivering frontline services.
We’re professional and experienced, but we’re also approachable. If you’re running a local project and need support, you’ll find real people here who genuinely want to help.
Our Vision
We want North Hertfordshire and Stevenage to be a place where community action flourishes.
Where local organisations feel confident and connected.
Where volunteers are valued and supported.
Where good ideas can grow.
In a world that can sometimes feel uncertain or overwhelming, we aim to be a steady, positive presence - a trusted partner and a beacon for community-led change.
Because when we lift the people who lift others, everyone rises.
Our History
There is a rich history of community activity in the North Herts area:
- The Letchworth Guild of Help, a forerunner organisation to North Herts CVS, goes right back to 1907.
- The Guild of Help provide a range of services for the community for more than 42 years.
- In 1949 a meeting was held to close down the Guild of Help and it was replaced with the Letchworth Council of Social Service.
- The first official meeting of this new group was held in 1950 at the Brotherhood Hall in Letchworth.
- For the first eight years the minutes were written in copper plate handwriting, with titles of topics underlined in red ink. Then in July 1957 technology arrived and from then on minutes were typed and then stuck into the minute book.
- The 100th Meeting of the Executive Committee of the newly named “Letchworth and District Council for Social Service” was held in the Council Chamber of Letchworth Urban District Council on March 28th 1960.
- Letchworth merged with the other North Herts towns to form the new local government area of North Hertfordshire District Council with the local government reforms in the 1970’s. Since then we've been supporting and encouraging voluntary activity in North Hertfordshire.
- In June 2014 we were offered a grant by Stevenage Borough Council to support the voluntary and community sector in the borough of Stevenage; sharing advice, offering support and information, as well as continuing to run the Stevenage Volunteer Centre. Sadly, Stevenage CVS closed and the Stevenage Community Transport Scheme transferred over to our management. In September 2015 our constitution was changed to reflect our wider geographic area.
Today CVS continues to support both North Herts and Stevenage with knowledge, tools and information, as well as managing a number of local and Countywide projects.
Our Projects
As part of our mission to help people reach their potential and thrive, we operate several of our own projects and services that benefit the local community. Projects such as GoVolHerts, North Herts & Stevenage Community Transport and Reach Out Hertfordshire.
Learn more about all our projects here.
