The Gift of Time

A new photography exhibition starting on Wednesday 31 October 2018 at London’s Oxo Tower will tell the surprising story of 80 years of voluntary service in Britain.

The Gift of Time is being held to mark the 80th anniversary of one of the largest volunteering organisations in British history, Royal Voluntary Service.

On display will be original, never seen before photography and archive images capturing the spirit of voluntary service over the last eight decades. Fascinating images from Royal Voluntary Service’s archive (one of the largest charity archives in the UK and recognised by UNESCO as one of the most important collections in the UK, particularly for women’s history) will tell the story of how the charity’s volunteers, or the ‘women in green’ as they were once known, started out by helping civilians during World War Two from billeting children to supporting during air raids.

And bringing it up to date, celebrity photographer, Nicky Johnston will be displaying a set of original portraits produced to depict today’s volunteers in action. More used to shooting A Listers such as Julie Walters, Justin Bieber, Joanna Lumley and Judi Dench for glossy magazines, Nicky’s portraits celebrate the ordinary men and women who give so generously of their time to help others. The shoot took him all over the country to meet with Royal Voluntary Service volunteers at lunch clubs, in hospitals and even in a Shed.