Voluntary Service Overseas has launched a campaign to track down its volunteers from the last century to reconnect with them and give them the chance to share their stories and experiences with other volunteers.

The charity is looking for those who gave up their time overseas from 1958, when the VSO was founded, to those volunteering in the 1990s.

The campaign involves press, radio and digital advertising and is predominantly targeting the Surry and Middlesex area before a potential UK wide roll out.

A series of events is being planned for former volunteers to attend to share their memories and experiences. Supporting VSO is creative agency WPNC.

“We’re taking a truly audience-led approach to re-engaging a key and valued group of volunteers,” said VSO head of public fundraising Gillian Claugher.

“We want our past volunteers to feel proud of their time working alongside us on some ground breaking projects from the past.

“It’s time to celebrate those achievements, but also to support once more the important international development work we do today. We’d like as many former volunteers as possible to get in touch.”

Among those already contacted is Jo Rohodes-Jiao, who volunteered in 1984 in China to teach English and train other teachers. She said: “They were the best years of my life”.

WPNC client services director Hannah Williams added: “VSO has a wonderful history of working with active, outgoing, can-do community members. This is their opportunity to reconnect, share their success stories, and get back involved.”

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