ABSTRACT

The tradition of voluntary work in Britain stems from Victorian philanthropy and developed throughout the 20th century. It is deeply embedded in the social services. Indeed it has been estimated that almost a third of the population gives some time every month to one or other voluntary body (Smith 1997). This tradition has included the setting up of voluntary organisations to meet specific perceived needs. Samaritans, for instance, began out of concern about rising rates of suicide. Cruse started as small self-help groups of widows, the name drawn from the Old Testament story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17).