Registrars raise a coffee to National Day of Recognition

The Council’s Registration Service marked today’s (1 July 2021) inaugural National Day of Recognition for Registrars by reflecting on a very tough 16 months of constant challenges.

The Local Registration Services Association and National Panel for Registration are hoping that the event will become an annual day in the ‘recognition calendar’, similar to International Social Workers’ Day.

“We wanted to celebrate our service and all of the people we work with – from bereavement services and midwives to wedding venues and the coroner’s service,” said a spokesperson.

With the theme ‘giving thanks’, the County Borough Council’s team enjoyed a coffee and cake morning.

“It was a pat on the back to ourselves for the hard work and commitment shown by staff, especially during the pandemic,” said the Council’s Superintendent Registrar Lorraine Evans. 

“It was important to acknowledge their dedication and professionalism having to deal with a much increased work load and difficult circumstances since the pandemic began.”

The many challenges included, despite the registration office being closed to the public during the initial lockdown, providing an office-based service while observing social distancing and ensuring the offices were Covid-secure.

“As a vital link in death management, we were able to successfully manage a significant increase in death registrations, and a backlog of 800 births which accumulated during the lockdown,” Lorraine added. 

“We also managed the expectations of those couples who had marriages/civil partnerships cancelled and those wishing to make new arrangements, adapting to new and amended legislation and the training a member of staff seconded from another department to ease the pressure on staff. 

“We hope the National Day of Recognition for Registrars becomes an annual fixture, as we feel our staff certainly need to be recognised for the way in which they have managed – and continue to do so - many changes to registration.”