Victory Services Club
The Victory Services Club (VSC) is a private members club, and registered charity, in London for retired and serving members of the Armed Forces. Membership is open to all ranks of the armed forces across the tri-services, differing from other military clubs in London which restrict membership either to the Officer Corps, Other Ranks or to members of a particular corps, branch, regiment or service.[1]
Located near Marble Arch the Club also provides dining services and conference facilities to members. The Club also includes a trading arm for corporate events which include eight event spaces which can hold from 2 to 300 guests.
History
The Club was founded in 1907 providing services to retired members of the Armed forces and broadened membership qualification to include currently serving members, and civilian family, in 1970.[1] Original premises were in Holborn with the Club very quickly moving to alternative accommodation, again in Holborn. In 1948 the Club moved to still larger premises at the current location, the building having been used by American Forces during the Second World War. The accommodation was extended with construction starting in 1954 on an adjacent site, with the Memorial Wing being opened by former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill in 1957.
Initially known as the Veterans' Club when opened by Major Arthur Haggard, brother of the author H. Rider Haggard, the Club was renamed in 1936 in memory of Field Marshal Viscount Edmund Allenby who had been President since 1936. With membership still limited to retired servicemen the Club later renamed as the Victory Ex-Services Club, subsequently in 1970 assuming the present name when membership was opened to serving personnel and families.
As a charity the Club works with other service charities and the Armed Forces Welfare Agencies to provide support for wounded personnel and carers on respite opportunities in London.
Its patrons have included General Eisenhower, Field-Marshal Earl Alexander of Tunis and Field-Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh has been the Patron-in-Chief since 1954. The Club has approximately 48,000 members and has the largest membership of any military club in the UK.
Membership
Membership in the Victory Services Club is open to all ranks of the British Armed Forces both active and retired, active armed forces of NATO countries, widows and widowers of British Armed Forces as well as Commonwealth and Native personnel and parents and children (over 18) of serving and ex-serving personnel. Members obtain unlimited use of the Club's facilities, including the accommodation, restaurant and bar as well as discount rates for event rooms and catering. Members can invite as many as four guests to stay in the Club, store luggage and receive the VSC's bi-annual newsletter. There are also reciprocal arrangements available with affiliated clubs in New York, San Francisco, Brussels, Sydney, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand.[2]
Accommodation
The Victory Services Club has been recognized and recommended by numerous publications, including the Los Angeles Times, as a travel option for travelling members of the military.[3] The Victory Services Club operates a Club with more than 190 accommodation rooms including singles, twins, doubles, family rooms and disabled access rooms across two wings. The VSC also serving and ex-service personnel of Commonwealth and NATO countries in addition to members of the British Armed Forces.[4]
References
- 1 2 "Who We Are". Retrieved April 23, 2012.
- ↑ "Club Brochure". Retrieved April 23, 2012.
- ↑ Gilden, James (May 23, 2004). "News, Tips and Bargains; THE INTERNET TRAVELER; Special military websites stand ready to deliver discounts". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, CA. pp. L.3. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
- ↑ "London: Hotel caters to troops seeing city". Retrieved April 23, 2012.