Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services

About Us

www.lcvs.org.uk

Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services (LCVS) is incorporated under the Companies Act as a Company Limited by Guarantee without share capital, registered in England 181759. LCVS is a registered charity, number 223485.

LCVS is a Charitable Trust Corporation: an agency for charitable giving, administering funds and trusts, and also provides advice and support services for charities and other voluntary organisations in Liverpool and its vicinity.

Our Mission

“To combine the power of charitable giving with organisational support, so that voluntary and community groups are :
· Well governed
· Well managed
· Well resourced
· Well represented
and donors have a comprehensive and efficient service.”

Our Values

Honesty : we are committed to high ethical standards in everything we do. We value integrity, transparency and openness.
Fairness : we challenge discrimination and believe in equality. We value impartiality and independence.
Inclusivity : We promote the involvement of disadvantaged individuals and groups. We value diversity and participation in decision-making.
Spirit to Serve : We are passionate about our work and use feedback to help us improve. We value personal service, commitment and partnership.

Our Activities

We aim to achieve our mission by engaging in 10 specific activities:
· Comprehensive training and support services covering all aspects of running a charity / voluntary organisation
· Strategic partner for the sector locally and sub-regionally
· Network co-ordination and selection of representatives to give a voice to the aspiration and needs of the sector in public policy
· Recovery of organisations in difficulty
· Provide incubator support for new organisations
· Develop new organisations and services to meet new needs
· Provide meeting and conference facilities for the sector
· Ensure a voluntary sector presence in the City centre
· Administer personal charitable trusts and support charitable giving by individuals
· Access sources of grants and administer grant-making programmes

Our Record

LCVS is a charity, encouraging philanthropy, voluntary action and charities, primarily in Liverpool but also in the surrounding area, since 1909. Liverpool was the first city in the country to establish its Voluntary Aid Council. It marked the beginning of the movement in Britain, as well as providing a focal point for voluntary organisations locally.

Initially Liverpool Charities' Council, it became Liverpool Council of Voluntary Aid on 5th November 1909. The name Liverpool Council of Social Service (Inc.) was adopted in 1933 and Liverpool Council for Voluntary Service was added as a name in 1974, in uniformity with the national CVS movement and was used in operational work with voluntary and community organisations and with public bodies. In July 2005 the present name 'Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services' was adopted to reflect both the work of promoting philanthropy and co-ordinating and supporting the development of the voluntary and community sector.

Key Achievements

In 1911 Liverpool Council for Voluntary Aid sponsored its first new charity; in 1912 it launched a periodical and in 1913 a social workers' handbook.

In 1918 a gift of £50,000 enabled Liverpool Council for Voluntary Aid to set up a fund to grant-aid affiliated charities while encouraging best practice among them.

In 1921 Liverpool Council for Voluntary Aid pioneered the Discretionary Deed Of Covenant, which has been called "the Council's greatest single service, in terms of money, to the charities of the city and the kingdom".

In 1927 Liverpool Council of Social Service became a Charitable Trust Corporation, administering charitable trusts and funds, with the authorisation to hold, manage and invest charitable property. Much later, in the 1960s, it developed the concept of a Personal Charitable Trust as a means of long-term charitable giving. It now distributes over £2 million a year on behalf of the donors.