A CHARITY organisation dedicated to the economic and social well-being of people and communities across Dartmoor is celebrating after being recognised as an Investor in People. High Moorland Community Action Ltd (HMCA) ? based at Princetown ? manages a range of community-based projects designed to strengthen and support communities within the Dartmoor Forest Parish. It was supported through its Investors in People journey by Business Link for Devon and Cornwall and reached the Standard after its first assessment ? a real testament to the good practices already in existence. ?We are delighted to be recognised as an Investor in People,? said training manager Pat Marshall. ?The Investors in People experience has been extremely helpful in helping us build a better organisation. ?It helped us put together an action plan that we have been able to implement at our own pace. The effect on staff morale has been absolutely phenomenal.? Mary Matthews, HMCA administrator, added: ?Investors in People has been an extremely positive experience all round. From an administrative point of view, we now have the processes in place to ensure that all the paperwork is being done. ?That, in itself, has made us a far more effective organisation.? High Moorland Community Action is a community organisation, which was formed as a charity and a limited company in 1998. Its aim is ?to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Dartmoor Forest Parish and in particular the relief of poverty and improvement of conditions?. HMCA is run by a management committee and employs nine full- and part-time staff. There is also a trustee board of 12 unpaid volunteers who are responsible for overseeing its work and agreeing future direction and policy. Working within Dartmoor Forest Parish, HMCA plays an invaluable role in the formation and delivery of programmes, working in partnership with local and central governments and volunteer organisations to secure a brighter future for the people living and working there. Since its inception, HMCA has been involved in various community projects. Early examples include speed ramps outside the local school, a drumming workshop for young people and floral hanging baskets in the village and building a new bus shelter. It currently manages a building hosting after-school and holiday clubs, a community IT facility, credit union, police office and a sewing circle. HMCA is also developing a new centre for the community. At the same time, HMCA successfully bid for extra funding which enabled it to deliver support to other voluntary organisations. In Devon and Cornwall, Investors in People is supported by Business Link who can be contacted on 0845 6009966.
