Letter from Renate Hessenauer, a German volunteer, to Robert Davies, founder of Voluntary Community Service, Cardiff, 24 September 1966

Description

A handwritten letter dated 24 September 1966, from Renate Hessenauer, a German volunteer, to Robert Davies, founder of Voluntary Community Service (VCS).

In her letter, Renate thanks Robert for having made the work camp she took part in an enjoyable experience. The work camp was organised in the summer by VCS. She asks him about the wellbeing of the families she helped and local volunteers visiting other families. She expresses her praise for the Cardiff work camp which focused on working with children. She also reports on her stay in London and her new job in a film laboratory.

Transcription:

"Rückersdorf, 24th September 1966

Dear Robert,

It is now already three weeks ago that we left Cardiff and I wonder what has happened in this time. I suppose you and Alan went several times to the Borges. How did you find them?
During the three weeks of our stay in Cardiff nearly every day something new had happened in this family or something had changed. So what has happened during the last three weeks?
Can you manage going to the Borges when you are working all day long?
And what about the other families? Did the local volunteers already start visiting them?
After I had left Cardiff I missed the people of our camp and Adi, Carmello and even Georgie. The time in Cardiff was really wonderful. Being together with the children I learnt a lot for my future profession.
I saw very much of the country and I believe that I saw more of the country and its people than if I had been for six weeks as a tourist in the country.
Thank you very very much for this time Robert. I know that also the other people of our camp enjoyed the stay in Cardiff very much. And I only hope that you also did a little bit.
I would like to go to a work camp next year again. I hope that my parents are sound enough so that I can leave them for some weeks.

Robert you know that we stayed in London for some days. It was very interesting to be in London and we saw very much. But it was enough to stay 5 days in London. I wouldn’t have liked to stay there longer. London is too big and too crowded with tourists.
Although there was much traffic in London I was not killed and I arrived in Holland safe and sound. And finally after having been for four days in Holland I went home.
I looked for a job at once and I found it in a film laboratory. And now I go to Nürnberg every day and stick numbered labels to the films all day long and sometimes I cut the developed films in pieces of a certain length. Very interesting, isn’t it? Never mind! I have to work only for four weeks.

Robert I hope that one day you will write me some lines.
Please tell me if you could read and understand my letter. If you couldn’t I will use a dictionary the next time and I will type the letter.

Many many greetings from Germany
From a naughty girl
Renate

Abs: Renate Hessenauer
8501 Rückersdorf
Am Buck 20
Western Germany"

Robert Davies, who actively volunteered with VCS, UNA, and many other organisations, is currently VCS Honorary President. He founded Voluntary Community Service (VCS) in Cardiff in October 1964. The organisation's main aim, as stated in its constitution, is to promote any charitable purposes, advancement of education, and relief of poverty, distress, and sickness in the City of Cardiff. Originally VCS co-ordinated a team of volunteers involved in activities such as helping elderly people with gardening and decorating, running summer ‘work camps’ for children and young people. Its mission today is to enable people who are most disadvantaged to engage with rewarding volunteering opportunities, facilitating their personal development and employment prospects.