The Welwyn Hatfield Community for Voluntary Service (WHCVS) exists to develop and promote local voluntary and community groups in order to improve the quality of life for individuals, groups and communities. This requires us to work actively with other agencies to combat poverty and disadvantage which may exclude or constrain the opportunities of many individuals, groups and communities from full participation in civic life. We also recognise that inequalities exist based on the above factors and we will therefore give priority to working with groups and/or communities whose full participation in society is limited by economic, political and social disadvantage.