The UK National Archives has highlighted Islamic Relief Worldwide’s extensive archive as an example of best practice and good governance in the charity sector.
Islamic Relief is featured in a new series of case studies released by the National Archives to highlight the importance of charity archiving in shaping and documenting society. The series illustrates how charity archives support transparency, trust and legislative compliance, and help demonstrate an organisation’s impact over time.
“It’s a great honour to be recognised by The UK National Archives in this way. It’s a testament to the years of hard work put in by staff across the organisation to document our history,” says Dr. Daniella Gonzalez, Islamic Relief’s current archivist.
“Islamic Relief’s archive continues to grow. It’s a valuable strategic asset that provides a wealth of information about key milestones and achievements, and an integral part of our commitment to transparency and good governance. Documenting the past helps us learn lessons to improve our future impact,” she says.
The National Archives are the official archive of the UK government, storing materials that document over 1,000 years of British and global history.
Over a decade of dedicated compilation
Islamic Relief’s archive tracks our decades of history – from our founding by doctors in the UK in 1984, through our growth into one of world’s biggest humanitarian charities that assists millions of people each year in dozens of countries.
The National Archives says Islamic Relief’s archive “provides a unique insight into humanitarianism, fundraising, and operational history grounded in Islamic values.”
Work began on Islamic Relief’s archive in the early 2010s – capturing historic documents and photographs from the pre-internet era – and it has taken many years to compile, and much attention to continually maintain. We aim to further develop it as an active digital resource for strategic insights and research across the sector, building on the launch of the Archives Hub catalogue for external researchers in 2022.
The UK National Archives’ series of case studies focuses on 3 key themes – good governance, institutional identity, and person-centred and trauma-informed approaches. Islamic Relief is featured under the good governance theme.
