Partnership manager named national champion (November 21, 2008)

Laura Hack, partnership manager for the Suffolk Association of Voluntary Organisations (SAVO), has won the Compact Champion of the Year Award 2008 for improving the way Suffolk Coastal and other councils in the county work with local voluntary and community organisations.

The Compact in Suffolk is an eight-page agreement between the voluntary and community sector, local councils, other organisations such as the county’s primary care trusts, the Police, the Learning and Skills Council, Go East and Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs), which sets out how they will work together to improve their services.

“Laura’s enthusiasm for and commitment to creating good working relationships between local government and third sector groups in Suffolk has resulted in her being recognised as a national champion by Compact,” said Cllr Ray Herring, Chairman of the Suffolk Coastal LSP board.

“She has excelled at encouraging organisations to subscribe to the local Compact, and has set up a countywide group of representatives to review and improve it, encouraging people from these different organisations to meet, share ideas, and learn from each other.

“Every year awards are given to those who have best put the Compact agreement into practice, and last week Laura received the Champion of the Year 2008 Award,” added Cllr Herring.

It was Compact’s 10th Anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion, Laura and the other winners were invited to Number 11, Downing Street by Chancellor Alistair Darling, where they met senior ministers and posed for photographs.

“It was really nice to receive the award, but it was on behalf of all those who helped draw up our new compact. This is another step towards improved partnerships between voluntary and community groups and the public sector as a whole, and providing even better services to all parts of our communities,” added Laura.