After a year of waiting for the outcome of the Department of Environment Public Enquiry, I am very pleased to announce that the Weedon site proposals have been approved and that, at very long last, the Museum now has a "green light" to proceed.
For all those who have been involved over past years in the Museum concept, this is truly a historic landmark. Many will remember the first faltering days of setting up the first items of the Museum collection and the gathering pace of enthusiasm and interest in what the Trust was trying to establish.
Then came several false starts, as the Trustees tried hard to find a permanent base for the growing amount of fire service equipment and paraphernalia which by then had steadily been amassed. Storage of many items of the collection increasingly

gave us a headache and we were only able to survive with the begged and borrowed storage space of a number of fire authorities and other organisations, together with a small army of helpers who have all been magnificently supportive during the difficult and trying times of the past years.
Now we can look confidently look forward to the future and to the establishment of a permanent Museum at Weedon. However, there are now a huge number of issues to confront and both Trustees and Friends will be addressing these over the next few weeks as we all let the good news sink in.
I expect from here on to establish a regular flow of information as to how Friends can channel their efforts and energy into the months ahead. As I write these few words, I am confident that we can all go forward to build the base at Weedon for a truly special and memorable Museum which the entire world of the firefighting profession and its supporting industry will be justly proud.