Policy statement

Hampshire Cultural Trust is committed to providing a high-quality experience for all our customers and beneficiaries.

Your feedback is essential for us to monitor our performance and make improvements. We handle all feedback—both informal and formal—with the following commitments:

  • Promptly and courteously
  • Fairly and impartially
  • With respect for any reasonable requirements you may have

Please note that external third parties may use our facilities for their own events and activities. If your complaint concerns one of these activities, we will liaise with the relevant third party to resolve your issues.

 

Definition 

A complaint is defined as ‘any voluntary expression of dissatisfaction that relates to our work or organisation, whether justified or not, and requires a formal response’ made by the public. We distinguish between:

  • Informal feedback: Comments, suggestions, or concerns that do not require a formal investigation. These are typically addressed immediately by staff and recorded for continuous improvement.
  • Formal complaints: Issues that require a written response and investigation. Formal complaints generally fall into categories such as:
    • Health and safety
    • Museum policy
    • The behaviour of museum staff, volunteers, partners or contractors
    • Unfair treatment
    • Contravention of laws or regulations

A formal complaint may also be raised, if you are dissatisfied with the handling or resolution of an informal complaint.

 

Scope and purpose

This policy ensures that all complaints are investigated, addressed, and resolved consistently and fairly. Its purpose is to provide clear guidance and reassurance that your concerns will be handled properly. Note that general feedback received through surveys or other mechanisms is not covered by this formal process.

To help you understand what to expect, please refer to the following timeline summary:

  • Initial Response: Within 15 working days
  • Interim Update: If full resolution takes longer, an interim update will be provided within 15 working days
  • Escalation Response: An additional review will be completed within 15 working days if you request escalation
     

Responsibilities

The Chief Operating Officer is responsible for overseeing all formal complaints and ensuring they are investigated, and any agreed recommendations are properly acted upon. They ensure that the organisation maintains high standards of accountability and responsiveness.

The Chief Executive is responsible for ensuring that all escalated complaints are reviewed fairly. They work closely with the Chief Operating Officer and relevant Directors to resolve complex issues.

Directors, Heads of Departments and Venue Managers are responsible for monitoring informal complaints and general feedback and use these to make improvements. 

All staff are responsible for acknowledging and recording any complaints received and managing them according to the procedure set out in this policy.

Complaints procedure

Step 1. Contact our venues

It’s always best to let us know about any problems straight away. We encourage you to speak with a member of staff on duty at the venue you are visiting, if possible, as many concerns can be resolved promptly.

If a resolution is not reached or it's not possible to report the issue at the time, then you can contact the venue by telephone, by email, on in writing or by telephone. You can find individual contact details for each place on the relevant venue webpage at Visit | Hampshire Cultural Trust

When submitting your complaint, please include as much detail as possible:

  • A clear explanation of your concern or complaint, including dates and times
  • The specific venue and/or event related to your complaint
  • Details of any staff or management you have already spoken with
  • Any other relevant information you feel is necessary
Step 2. Contact our Chief Operating Officer

If you're not happy with our response, then you can get back in touch with us by writing to the Chief Operating Officer. Please write to:

Chief Operating Officer
Hampshire Cultural Trust
Chilcomb House
Chilcomb Lane
Winchester
SO23 8RD

Or email at: Enquiries@hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk

Your complaint will be reviewed by our Chief Operating Officer or a senior member of their team, and the trust’s response will be sent in writing within 15 working days.

Step 3. Contact our Chief Executive

If you're not happy with the response from step 2, then you can write to our Chief Executive who'll ensure you receive a response to your case.

Please send your complaint in writing to our central office at the address above, marked for their attention.

Your complaint will be reviewed by our Chief Executive and the relevant Director, and the trust’s response will be sent in writing within 15 days.

Step 4. Contact our Chair

Finally, if for any reason your complaint is still unresolved, then please address your complaint to the Chair.

Please send your complaint writing to our central office at the address above.

Your complaint will be independently reviewed by the Chair who'll then have the option to make a final decision or to ask a Trust employee or a member of Board to review the complaint on their behalf, prior to the Chair making a decision. The Trust’s final response will be sent in writing within 15 days.

Escalating your complaint

If you remain dissatisfied after our internal process, you may consider contacting an independent body such as the Museums Association or a relevant regulator. We encourage you to review their guidance as an additional step. 

If your complaint relates to fundraising activity, you can also contact the Fundraising Regulator.

How we will respond

We undertake to investigate your complaint or concern fully. Our standard procedure is:

  • Investigation and initial response: We aim to respond within 15 working days, outlining how we intend to resolve the issue.
  • Interim updates: If a full response cannot be provided within 15 working days, you will receive an interim update detailing the actions taken or being considered.
  • Resolution: Once the investigation is complete, a final response will be provided.

Safeguarding

Hampshire Cultural Trust maintains robust safeguarding policies, procedures, and a code of conduct to protect vulnerable individuals. For urgent safeguarding concerns, please refer immediately to our detailed safeguarding guidance at https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/safeguarding-policy

Looking after your data

We understand that your personal data is important. We commit to handling all personal information safely and in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Personal data collected during the complaints process will be used solely to investigate and resolve your complaint. For further details on how your data is managed, please review our Privacy Policy available on our website.

Sign up to our newsletter to hear about our upcoming exhibitions, events and newsSign up