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Posted on behalf of The National Archives

 

Documenting Archives of Religious Faith and Practice in the UK - launch of new survey

 

The Society of Archivists has received funding from the Pilgrim Trust and The National Archives to carry out a questionnaire-based survey of religious archives, of all faith traditions, in the UK.

 

The survey is the result of an initiative by the Religious Archives Group (RAG), which is affiliated to the Society, and RAG officers will be closely involved with the project.

 

The returns to the questionnaire will update and extend information already held in the National Register of Archives (NRA) at The National Archives.

 

More importantly, they should fill many gaps in NRA coverage by recording the existence and availability of archives and personal papers not currently represented.

 

“Faith communities in the UK have made and continue to make a far-reaching contribution to our national life, and their archives form a vital part of the country’s documentary heritage,” said Dr Clive Field, OBE, President of RAG.

 

”The Society and RAG are grateful to the Pilgrim Trust for their grant and to The National Archives for both financial and logistical support.”

 

The project is due to begin in the autumn of 2009, following the appointment of a Resource Discovery Officer, who will be based at The National Archives, for six months.

 

The project will be managed jointly by the Society of Archivists and The National Archives, supported by a steering committee appointed for their expertise in a wide range of faith traditions as well as in archives, and chaired by Dr Field.

 

For further information please contact Norman James at The National Archives [log in to unmask] or Clive Field on behalf of RAG at [log in to unmask]  or John Chambers at the Society of Archivists [log in to unmask]

 

 

 

 

Alex Ritchie
The National Archives
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/