Royal Voluntary Service
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Royal Voluntary Service's Sheds Grant Fund suits local community groups that are setting up a community shed or already run one, and a project aimed at tackling social isolation in older men fits its stated theme, although sheds are open to people of all ages.
- The Sheds Grant Fund is stated at £250 – £1,000, so a modest request that covers set-up or running costs sits within the stated figures.
- Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but before applying a group should check that it belongs to the UK Men's Shed Association or is willing to join, because membership is a condition of funding.
- Groups that will not join the UK Men's Shed Association should not apply.
- The annual report gives annual giving of £319,000 and a stated priority of the UK.
Overview
Royal Voluntary Service is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1015988).
Royal Voluntary Service is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales that delivers practical support through the power of volunteering so that older people can get more out of life. It also aims to relieve poverty, distress and suffering in various sections of the community, primarily in the UK. According to the annual report, its annual giving is £319,000, and it gives grants to hospitals and other institutions in line with its charitable objects, as well as through the Sheds Grant Fund for community shed projects.
What they fund
Priority Areas
Royal Voluntary Service’s Sheds Grant Fund supports local community groups setting up community shed spaces and established shed projects, including running costs. Community sheds are member-run workshop spaces where people meet for practical activities such as woodworking or electronics and share skills and tools. The programme seeks to tackle social isolation in older men, while the Sheds movement is open to women and men of all ages. Applicants must belong to, or join, the UK Men’s Shed Association as a condition of funding. The charity’s report also says it gives grants to hospitals and other institutions in line with its charitable objects.
Themes
- Community sheds
- Older men's social isolation
Geographic Focus
Priority: The UK.
How to apply
Local community groups apply to the Sheds Grant Fund to support setting up community sheds or already established Shed projects.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Applicants must be part of, or join, the UK Men’s Shed Association as a condition of funding.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Royal Voluntary Service.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 28 March 2021 | £36,068,000 | £37,239,000 | £417,000 | Accounts for year to 28 March 2021 |
| year to 28 March 2022 | £35,939,000 | £40,179,000 | £293,000 | Accounts for year to 28 March 2022 |
| year to 28 March 2023 | £38,475,000 | £39,984,000 | — | Accounts for year to 28 March 2023 |
| year to 28 March 2024 | £42,359,000 | £41,572,000 | — | Accounts for year to 28 March 2024 |
| year to 28 March 2025 | £41,481,000 | £39,281,000 | £319,000 | Accounts for year to 28 March 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 3 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 28 March 2021; year to 28 March 2022: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 28 March 2025: the accounts do not say whether this is grants awarded or paid.
— No grants figure for those years.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- Annual report (year to 30 March 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to Royal Voluntary Service?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
- Charity Commission register entryContact details as held by the Charity Commission
Applying to Royal Voluntary Service?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
- Charity Commission register entryContact details as held by the Charity Commission