Federation Of Family History Societies

Regional Archive Councils

 

In 2000 The National Council on Archives (NCA) established nine Regional Archive Councils (RACs) in England. These covered:

• North East Regional Archive Council (NERAC)
• North West Regional Archive Council (NWRAC)
• Yorkshire Regional Archive Council (YRAC)
• West Midlands Regional Archive Forum (WMRAF)
• East Midlands Regional Archive Council (EMRAC)
• London Regional Archive Council (LRAC)
• East of England Regional Archive Council (EERAC)
• South East Regional Archive Council (SERAC)
• South West Regional Archive Council (SWRAC)

FFHS had a user representative on each council.

In December 2001, NCA published a report summarising the achievements of the nine RACs over the first 18 months of their existence. Each RAC had quickly become an information resource in its region and had raised the profile of the archive services. They continued to evolve, with different levels of activity, and gradually formed a new relationship with The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and its nine Regional Agencies.

The involvement with NCA has now ceased, and some of the Councils appear not to be active. However FFHS is still allowed a representative on the following groups which meet at least twice a year.

• NWRAC
  (http://www.ncaonline.org.uk/about_nca/regional_archive_councils/nwrac)
  Representative: Leslie Smetham
• WMRAF
  (http://www.ncaonline.org.uk/about_nca/regional_archive_councils/wmraf)
  Representative: Richard Ratcliffe
• EERAC
  (http://www.ncaonline.org.uk/about_nca/regional_archive_councils/eerac)
  Representative: Derek Palgrave
• NERAC
  (http://www.ncaonline.org.uk/about_nca/regional_archive_councils/nerac)
  Representative: Vacant

If you live in the North East of England and would be willing to represent FFHS at NERAC meetings please get in touch with our archives liaison officer, Maureen Bullows( ). You don't have to be an expert on archives to fill this gap, and you could find that you learn valuable insights which will help you get more out of family history.