Introduction to the Order of Malta Volunteers

The Order of Malta Volunteers was founded in 1974 with two core aims:

• To give people with disabilities opportunities for experiences away from their day to day lives.
• To give young people (17 – 29) the experience of caring for people with disabilities, of volunteering and of organising these activities and events.

Today these core aims have given rise to a range of activities run every year, from two week camps in the Middle East to weekends in Norfolk. We run around 6 – 7 activities every year which range in size from 250 people to 20. The vast majority combine three key elements:

• CARE

  Our volunteers take on a large proportion of the physical care needs of our disabled guests. We provide training and work in teams, but your first time is a step learning curve. This element is central to the OMV and the reason that so many of our volunteers return year after year.

• SPIRITUAL

  We are a Catholic organisation and work hard to ensure that everyone has the space to think about and discuss their faith. We have a strong chaplaincy team to support us.

• SOCIAL

  The OMV is a very social group of people and many volunteers form close friendships. During activities we have informal social events and organised parties, whilst when not on an activity we have monthly catchups, drinks events and our famous White Knights Ball

The OMV’s work is financed entirely from the voluntary contributions of our members and friends and from funds raised during the course of the year. For further details of how you can support, visit our donation page. We continue to grow and develop in new directions whilst maintaining all of the original beliefs and philosophies that its founders intended it to stand for. Please join our family here at the OMV and become a part of our many fantastic events!