Bedfordshire Archives & Records Service receives national accreditation

Bedfordshire Archives & Records Service, the oldest county records office in the country, has again been awarded Archive Service Accreditation.

Accreditation is the UK quality standard which recognises good performance in all areas of archive service delivery.

Achieving accredited status demonstrates that Bedfordshire 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.

Established in 1913, the Bedfordshire Archive & Records Service collects, preserves and makes available to the public the documentary heritage for the historic county of Bedfordshire. Joint-funded by Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and Luton Borough Council, the service is proud to assist the people of Bedfordshire and beyond in their understanding and enjoyment of the county.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said: "People come from around the world to visit Bedfordshire Archives. The service is brimming with ancient records, documents, photographs, treasures and relics - all of which can be used to build a picture of how things were and what we can learn from them.

"Achieving Accredited Archive Services status is recognition of the hard work that goes into ensuring the long-term collection, preservation and accessibility of our archive heritage."

The Archive Service Accreditation Panel were glad to see that the service had addressed actions set at the original award in 2016 and had also been able to manage some emerging issues during the first three years of the award.

For more information on Bedfordshire Archives, visit www.bedford.gov.uk/archive

For more information about Archive Service Accreditation, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk (then search for 'Archives-Sector'/ 'Archive Service Accreditation').