Federation Of Family History Societies

General Register Office (GRO) User Group Forum

 

The Federation has been asked to publicise the following invitation from the GRO:

Certificate Services is the business unit within the General Register Office, based in Southport, Merseyside, which is responsible for the issue of birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates. The General Register Office became part of the Identity and Passport Service in April this year.

Certificate Services has, for many years, used consultation with User Groups and Forums to:

- improve existing channels of communication and build up good relationships between Certificate Services and its customers

- provide a suitable forum for discussion/comments on initiatives currently ongoing and those to be introduced in the future

- provide our customers with the opportunity to comment on aspects of the services we offer.

We have recently reviewed the representation of our User Groups and would like to use Family History Societies and Groups to aid us in improving the service we offer to customers.

We are looking for 12 representatives from the Family History Society community to attend the next User Forum which is planned for Thursday, 27 November 9.30am - 3.00pm. As a member of the forum your representative will have the opportunity to provide opinions and offer feedback on a variety of topics.

Also on this date, assessors from the Customer Service Excellence Standard will be visiting Certificate Services for an onsite assessment. The Customer Service Excellence initiative builds upon the legacy of the highly prestigious Charter Mark Standard.

If your society is able to send a representative, please would you contact either Madeleine Brammah or Honora Ormesher on 0151 471 4530/4508 by Friday, 14 November. The agenda for the meeting and full details will be sent out to you once we have confirmation of attendance.

We hope you are able to attend and look forward to meeting you.

The Federation plans to be represented at the meeting in Southport and it is hoped that a good number of Family History Societies will be able to attend despite the very short notice we have been given.

Roger Lewry
Archives Liaison Officer
11 November 2008