Comments, Compliments, and Complaints Policy

Bramber Bakehouse is an independent registered charity governed by a Board of Trustees. As such it operates its own policies and procedures within the framework of the Charity Commission. 

Bramber Bakehouse is committed to ensuring that its work is of the highest quality. We believe that through effective management and investigation of comments, compliments, and complaints we can identify learning to achieve high quality work and continuous improvement as an organisation. We view concerns and complaints as opportunities to reflect on and enhance our processes and practices.

This policy outlines the steps you can take to inform us if you are dissatisfied with your experience at Bramber Bakehouse.

We strive to offer a trauma-informed service that positively impacts everyone we support. If any client, donor, partner, or stakeholder feels let down by our service quality, they are encouraged to raise a concern, highlight a problem, or file a complaint. Should we fall short of our high standards, your feedback is invaluable in helping us improve. We take all concerns and complaints very seriously and strive to resolve them promptly, fairly, and thoroughly.

If you have positive comments about our work or how we have helped you, please email hello@bramberbakehouse.org.uk so we can track that feedback and act on it where necessary.

How to contact us and raise a concern

We aim to make the process straightforward and encourage you to start by speaking directly with a team member. You can reach us at 0333 344 7532, Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. We may be able to resolve your issue immediately. For more complex matters, we commit to providing a full response by phone within 5 working days.

How to raise a formal complaint 

If you wish to raise a formal complaint, please outline the complaint in writing. You can either post it to us at: 

Bramber Bakehouse

PO BOX 3197

Eastbourne

East Sussex

BN21 3NW

Alternatively you can email us on hello@bramberbakehouse.co.uk 

Please summarize your complaint as clearly and fully as possible. Sometimes, we may need to ask for more information to investigate thoroughly. Your prompt response will help us resolve your complaint quickly. We record every complaint, which is why we need your details. We can’t follow up on anonymous complaints, but we will review them regardless.

When you share details in a formal complaint, we will confirm receipt within 5 working days and invite you to speak with a manager. We will provide a written response within 20 days, outlining our investigation findings and how we plan to resolve the issue. If the complaint is complex and requires more time, we will provide an interim response within 20 days, detailing the actions taken so far, what is being considered, and a completion date for the investigation and response.

If after receiving our first response you are not satisfied, please write to our Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Bramber Bakehouse explaining what aspect of the initial response you are not satisfied with. The CEO will review the complaint and first response and respond to you within 14 working days. 

What if you are still not satisfied?

If the initial responses do not resolve your concerns, you can escalate the matter by writing to the Board of Trustees at Bramber Bakehouse. A Trustee will be assigned to review your complaint, the process, and the responses provided. They will determine any additional actions that can be taken to resolve the issue. You will receive a written response within 4 weeks of the Trustees receiving your letter. The Trustee’s review and response will be final. Complaints can be addressed to the Trustees at:

Bramber Bakehouse

PO BOX 3197

Eastbourne

East Sussex

BN21 3NW

Alternatively you can email us on chair@bramberbakehouse.co.uk 

Fundraising 

Our commitment to operating at the highest standard has led us to register as members of the Fundraising Regulator. If your complaint is related to Fundraising and we have not resolved the concern or complaint then please contact the Fundraising Regulator by visiting

www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk 

Other Information 

If your concern or complaint is in regard to a legal matter and you are not satisfied with our response we encourage you to take it to the relevant authority to investigate. 

At all times complaints will be dealt with in a confidential manner. We will maintain a record of all complaints raised, including information you provide us about yourself as the complainant. All files relating to the concerns and complaints will be stored securely in accordance with our GDPR Policy. If you would like further information, or have any concerns, about the information we may hold about you in this regard, please access our Privacy Policy.

This policy and procedures are not for use by staff or volunteers. Alternative procedures are in place for both staff and volunteers to raise concerns and make complaints. 

Working days are Monday to Friday excluding public holidays.