At this time of difficulty with Coronavirus, when all face to face meetings are cancelled, Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership (TVCRP) have had the opportunity to have achievements recognised. They have become the first community rail partnership to achieve Re-Accreditation in a virtual meeting.
The meeting was attended by Fiona Forsythe, TVCRP Officer, Malcolm Chainey, TVCRP Chair, Marie Addison, Northern Community and Sustainability Manager (North East), Carolyn Watson, Northern Community and Sustainability Director, and Alex Bray, Cross Country Stakeholder Liaison Manager. Brian Barnsley and Ian Davis, Community Rail Network, formerly ACoRP, also attended.
Accreditation means that the Department for Transport (DfT) supports the objectives and action plans of the CRP and the way it operates. To demonstrate this, TVCRP submitted financial and governance information, along with a summary of its achievements and a draft of its action plan for the year ahead. The Partnership was able to show a collaborative approach to activities, representing the voices of the communities and delivering the Department for Transport’s Community Rail Strategy.
Brian Barnsley is now recommending to the DfT that TVCRP be awarded Re-Accreditation.
Marie Addison, Northern said “On behalf of Northern, well done to the TVCRP team for managing to achieve Re-Accreditation despite the current problems of Coronavirus”.
Malcolm Chainey, TVCRP Chair commented “I’m pleased that we’ve satisfied all the principles of accreditation, and grateful to those whose hard work has made this a successful and productive year.
Fiona Forsythe, TVCRP Officer, agreed “This is a tremendous achievement in what can be done while the country and transport services are in lock down”.