Community First for Portsmouth commemorates 70 years of professional service and support to the Voluntary & Community Sector in the city
1939 - Portsmouth Council for Social Service (PCSS) formed as a charitable body, to provide health and social care services and support to other voluntary agencies.
1948 - National Health Service starts. PCSS provides more specialist and ancillary services with a community focus.
1962 - PCSS gives way to Portsmouth Council of Community Services (PCCS), a restructured charity (registered 1963) with a wider brief, running local services, providing a Volunteer Bureau and local infrastructure support.
1972 - Social Services Departments formed under local government. Voluntary & Community Sector begins to unify with PCCS providing more developmental support and supporting local community initiatives.
1975 - Portsmouth Volunteer Bureau opens on separate site.
1978 - PCCS adopts the four national core functions of a CVS determined by the Wolfenden Report 1976.
- Support services to the Voluntary & Community Sector
- Liaison
- Representation
- Development Work
PCCS also expands its community services and Volunteer Bureau role
1997 - PCCS incorporates as a charitable company
2001 - PCCS adopts the new fifth CVS core function:
- Strategic Partnerships.
2005 - Portsmouth Volunteer Bureau rebrands as Portsmouth Volunteer Centre in line with national practice.
2009 - PCCS rebrands as Community First for Portsmouth Ltd, in keeping with its aim to provide a key focus for voluntary and community activity in the city and its commitment to local people and groups.
