ACTRESS Dame Patricia Routledge, best known for her role as Hyacinth Bucket in the BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, marked 80 years of the Royal Voluntary Service in Devizes.

Dame Patricia, who is an ambassador for the WVS, was at the opening of an exhibition highlighting the work of the service at Wiltshire Museum on Thursday.

It tells the story of how one woman and her group known as the army that Hitler forgot, quietly changed Britain forever.

The exhibition highlights the work of millions of women and men during times of national crisis.

Dame Patrician welcomed invited guests to the museum in Long Street as they got a preview of the exhibition which takes in WVS work during air raids in the Second World War to the threat of nuclear Armageddon and on the tides of refugees arriving in Britain.

It explores the unsung work of what is now known as the Royal Voluntary Service.

Speeches were made by RVS chief executive Catherine Johnstone, museum director David Dawson, Dame Patricia and RVS archivist Matthew McMurrary.

Devizes Mayor Nigel Carter and local RVS volunteers were also in attendance.

Among those honoured during the evening was Stella Reading, who in 1938 along with her million women in green revolutionised the way the world thought about voluntary service.

Mr McMurray, said: “Unbelievably, this is the first public exhibition about our history since 1959 when we celebrated our 21st Anniversary.

"Our collection has grown from a small nucleus of material to one of the largest and most culturally important charity archives in the country."

Mr Dawson: said “This exhibition celebrates the role Royal Voluntary Service volunteers have played tackling the social issues of the last 80 years. We’re delighted to bring just a small part of the charity’s rich but hidden history to light’.”

Still committed to inspiring and enabling people to give the gift of voluntary service to meet the needs of the day, today Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain’s largest volunteering charities with over 25,000 volunteers supporting thousands of older people each month in hospitals, in their home and in the community."

Entry to the exhibition itself is free but the usual museum charge still applies. On June 6 there will be a lecture at 7:30pm and weekly group tours are available. Go to www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk to book.