Stonehenge
Wiltshire and Swindon Archive service, based at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham, has been awarded Archive Service Accreditation.
Accredited Archive Services ensure the long-term collection, preservation and accessibility of our archive heritage. Accreditation is the UK quality standard which recognises good performance in all areas of archive service delivery. Achieving accredited status demonstrates Wiltshire and Swindon Archives has met clearly defined national standards relating to management and resourcing; the care of its unique collections and what the service offers to its entire range of users.
Principal archivist, Claire Skinner, said: “We are delighted to receive accreditation. This is a welcome acknowledgement of a great deal of hard work by our colleagues who work on the front line helping the public; by the conservation team working to repair and preserve our priceless collections; by the education officer helping young people to discover their heritage; and by almost 100 volunteers each year who give up around 12,000 hours a year to help the archive service make our collections more accessible. We could not have achieved this without them.”
Wiltshire and Swindon Archives has a double cause for celebration as 2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the archive service. It is funded by both Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council. Among the fascinating records of over 3,000 separate organizations and individuals are drawings by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and letters from Thomas Hardy, Florence Nightingale and Beatrix Potter. These documents are stored in temperature and humidity controlled strong rooms, designed to preserve them for future generations to enjoy. The archives are popular for both local and family history research. They are available to the public Tuesdays to Saturdays at Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre – people can visit www.wshc.eu for opening times and for details of events and activities to celebrate the 70th anniversary.
