THE Volunteering Cambridgeshire & Peterborough has announced that the six volunteer centres that cover the county of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and form the partnership, have achieved countywide accreditation with Volunteering England.

THE Volunteering Cambridgeshire & Peterborough has announced that the six volunteer centres that cover the county of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and form the partnership, have achieved countywide accreditation with Volunteering England.

This new form of the established accreditation that enables Volunteering England approved volunteer centres to use their nationwide branding, is a stringent assessment of the ability of county partnerships to carry out the six core functions expected of accredited volunteer centres across the country; these are:

* To match people who want to volunteer with organisations needing volunteers

* Promote volunteering to all sectors of the community

* Support and promote good practice in the involvement of volunteers

* Develop new opportunities to volunteer

* Comment and campaign on issues which affect volunteers or volunteering

* Play an active role in the strategic development of volunteering

Volunteering Cambridgeshire & Peterborough said all functions were met to a high standard and examples of their good practice will appear in the members’ section of the Volunteering England website as a guide to Volunteer Centre partnerships nationwide going through the accreditation process.

The six volunteer centres in Cambridge, Ely, Fenland, Huntingdonshire, Peterborough and Royston form the partnership of ‘Volunteering Cambridgeshire & Peterborough’ and work together to provide a quality service for all volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations across the county. Please visit www.volunteeringcambsandpboro.org.uk for more information.

Pictured back left to right- Annette Houghton (Manager Fenland), Annette Atkinson (Manager Peterborough), Avril Hayter-Smith (Manager Ely), Penny Shaw (Manager Huntingdonshire), Denise Graham (Manager Royston and VC&P Chair).

Front left- Stephanie Matthews (Manager Cambridge) and Louise Walker (County Development Officer).