In 1875, Nottingham’s newly founded Nottingham Society for Organising Charity (NSOC) had a bold goal: to bring order to local giving, prevent fraud, and support the 'deserving poor'.
150 years on, we’ve come a long way, but the heart of our work remains the same: helping people through collective effort, compassion, and community.
From 'deserving poor' to empowered communities
Some of the Society’s original aims might sound uncomfortable to modern ears:
'To repress mendacity'
(to prevent people from becoming beggars)
'To detect the impositions practiced by the idle and profligate'
(to stop ‘undeserving’ people from receiving help)
And yet, within that strict Victorian framework was a genuine desire to make life better - to coordinate efforts, prevent suffering, and find practical solutions to poverty and crisis.
Today, NCVS exists to support the organisations that do that work. Our modern mission:
'To support VCSE organisations and groups to grow their capacity and capability, to increase the scale, scope, and impact of volunteering, and to be a strong, strategic voice for the sector'.
A little help goes a long way
Before we were the NCVS you all know today, we provided support in a slightly different way. People in need could collect a ticket or be referred for their case to be heard by a committee, who decided what support, if any, could be offered. The archives are rich with stories of those times: some heartwarming, others heartbreaking, and not all with happy endings. These glimpses into the past show the roots of voluntary action in Nottingham and how much people have always needed a little help to get by.
1879: A widow on the brink
'A widow, with two young children, who had been in much better circumstances. She supported herself by working at Lace-dressing Rooms, but had to leave that work owing to her own and her children's sickness.
£1 9s 6d was spent by the Lady Visitor, and the woman went back to work in good health. Without aid from NSOC, she would have starved or had to go into the workhouse - which she would probably only have done when it was too late.'
1901: 82 letters and a fried fish stall
'F.B., a slater’s labourer, was injured in a fall and left with a dislocated neck. Unable to work, and ineligible for compensation, he was referred to the Society.
What followed was a remarkable example of coordinated care: 19 different contributors, 82 letters, and endless hours of work. The Society secured £10 in support, rallied the community, and helped F.B. set up a fried fish stall with his wife.
By the end of the year, he was nearly self-sufficient and avoided the workhouse entirely.'
Modern impact: Sherwood Exchange
'In 2020, a small swap shop emerged in Sherwood during lockdown - a place for neighbours to share goods and skills.
When the cost-of-living crisis hit, the group struggled to stay afloat. NCVS stepped in with support, guidance, and connection.
Now, Sherwood Exchange is a thriving community hub: sharing time, skills, and resources, and giving people dignity and agency in a challenging time.'
This is charity today - not judging who is ‘deserving’, but supporting those who support others.
What’s changed - and what hasn’t?
From food and fuel to employment and advocacy, the issues facing Nottingham’s people haven’t gone away. But the tools have evolved.
Where once our staff hand-wrote 82 letters to secure a sack of potatoes, today we help organisations access funding, deliver training, and scale their impact through digital tools, strategic partnerships and volunteer power.
We may no longer hand out tickets for charitable judgment - but we are still convening, enabling, and uplifting.
Looking Forward
As NCVS celebrates 150 years of community impact, we honour our roots and reaffirm our future: Supporting. Strengthening. Championing.
