Derbyshire volunteers honoured with royal seal of approval for custody inspection scheme

The Independent Custody Visitor (ICV) scheme, overseen by Derbyshire police and crime commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa, is the first of its kind in the country to be honoured with the ‘Queen's Award for Voluntary Service’.

ICVs make unannounced visits to custody facilities to check on the rights, entitlements, well-being and dignity of detainees held in police custody.

Their reports, which are shared with the police force, are taken very seriously, often providing the springboard for improvements in the provision of custody services.

Police and crime commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa said: "Full credit for this award goes to the wonderfully dedicated and passionate volunteers who deliver this service, week in and week out, protecting the welfare and wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable members of society.

“I would also like to thank my own team who manage the service.

"The scheme continues to go from strength to strength, helping to develop and enhance custody inspection across the country and bring greater scrutiny and transparency to a key area of policing.

“We are proud to be innovators and this award is the icing on the cake for all the hard work that goes on.”

The scheme, which involves the retrospective review of custody records, instigated a national pilot involving five other schemes in the UK.

Mr Dhindsa added: "At its heart, the ICV scheme aids change and we are particularly pleased to be delivering improvements nationally. We will not rest on our laurels and will continue to do everything possible to improve still further in the future.

"My thanks and congratulations go to all those who dedicate their time for this service."

ICV volunteer Barbara Arrandale said: "The award for our group is such an unexpected honour and I am sure will be received with much pleasure and pride by us all. I volunteer with many organisations because ‘I can'. I have since being a teenager so many years ago.

"I sincerely believe that we get our of life largely what we put in and volunteering is a way of adding value to myself as well as the groups I volunteer into."

Fellow ICV volunteer Louise Baker added: "Receiving this award in recognition for the hard work, time and effort that goes towards this very much behind the scenes, unglamorous role of volunteering demonstrates that we are valued and appreciated as Independent Custody Visitors.

"The volunteer group are a diverse collection of people who bring huge life experience to the role. We learn from each other, we learn from the excellent training we receive and we learn from the work we do as volunteers."

Two volunteers from the scheme will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May next year, along with other recipients of this year's award, to celebrate their success.