North East Wales Archives service receives Accreditation

North East Wales Archives (NEWA), a service which is jointly run by both Flintshire and Denbighshire County Councils has been awarded Archive Service Accreditation.

Archives Accreditation is the UK quality standard, recognising good performance in all areas of archive service delivery. Achieving accredited status demonstrates that the joint service has met clearly defined national standards relating to organisational health, collections management and the work undertaken with stakeholders.

Flintshire and Denbighshire archive services had received this award in the past, but this is the first time NEWA has been accredited as a joint service. With branches at both Hawarden and Ruthin, North East Wales Archives holds a wealth of unique historic records and other resources relating to Flintshire and Denbighshire and their communities. Almost 5,000 archive collections are held, dating from 1138 to the present. These items form a unique and irreplaceable record of the history of the region and provides value to users, official bodies, the community and wider society that cannot be obtained anywhere else.

In total, the joint service holds over 1,000 cubic metres of documents, all stored on almost seven miles of shelving. Some of the treasures held include, records of the North Wales Hospital in Denbigh, The Flintshire War Memorial, Records of the Court of Quarter Session, Victorian prisoner books, The Tithe War and outstanding collections of large estates across North East Wales.

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden said:

“NEWA's accreditation is a great achievement and a reflection of the skill and commitment of the joint services' staff who have created a thriving new organisation which will safeguard the archival heritage of North East Wales for future generations.”

The Accreditation Panel congratulated the service on successfully bringing two archives together in governance and access terms. Despite the obvious challenge of the pandemic, it was recognised that the service had made some excellent progress in building the operations into an effective whole. The assessors also noted that the staff team is clearly an asset to the service, delivering tenaciously and with a clear vision for the archives.

Councillor Emrys Wynne, Denbighshire’s Lead Member for Welsh language, Culture and Heritage, said:

“I am delighted that the service has achieved this prestigious honour, and this is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team.”

Councillor Christopher Bithell, Flintshire’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Public Health and Public Protection, said:

“North East Wales Archives is an excellent example of Welsh local authorities working together with a shared vision to provide a fabulous public service for our communities.”

For more information about Archive Service Accreditation visit the National Archives website. 

For more information on North East Wales Archives visit their website.