Charity which helps addicts wins national recognition

Scarborough's successful Cambridge Centre has gained national recognition for the excellent way it delivers its services – which largely depend on volunteers.

This will not only encourage more people to seek its help – addicts who might otherwise cause problems in the community – but will also give it more clout in getting contracts to run services for vulnerable people.

The charity, which has been in the front line of the war on drugs, has just been given the prestigious ISO 9001 accreditation.

The centre's strategic manager Rich Luck underlined the award, which shows the centre is smooth running and well organised, was more than just a piece of paper.

He said delivery of services was becoming increasingly competitive and when bidding for contracts the new status gave him and his colleagues an added edge.

He added: "It is also very important to show our clients that when they come to the Cambridge Centre they can expect high-quality, consistent services from us."

Based in Alma Square, Scarborough, the Cambridge Centre provides services across Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale.

Officials say the award shows the centre's professional capabilities. Mr Luck said work towards achieving accreditation had taken a year and involved a rigorous assessment by Government approved agencies.

"It has involved us taking a critical look at all our policies, processes and management – from registration to customer feedback to staff training and everything in between," he added.

"It has taken a tremendous buy in from the management and staff to achieve it and resulted in a much more effective quality management system being in place for the benefit of the centre and its clients. It has been a long-term goal of the organisation and we are delighted to have achieved it."

The Cambridge Centre works in partnership with other agencies to help individuals address their problems with alcohol or drugs to prevent those problems harming them, their families and the wider community.