Threat To The Uk's Imperial War Museum Facilities

[Joe Barr]

This may not seem directly relevant to the ADF but members may like to know that government cuts in the UK are threatening to reduce access to the collections of the Imperial War Museum in London and to disperse parts of its collection. This resource is of great value to researchers into WW1 and WW2 aviation as well as other arms and includes activities in which Australia played a significant role. If this threat is realised, it may encourage similar steps to be taken by governments here to the AWM and other institutions.

A petition is under way and via another forum the following may be of interest:

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If you aren't one of the 17,300 people who have already signed, please would you support the petition to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Culture/Media Secretary to remove the serious threats the study, research and education services provided by the Imperial War Museum.

The petition is at
https://www.change.org/p/rt-hon-george-osbo...h-and-education


( If you want detailed background, here's a link to the IWM's 2014-2017 corporate plan, which describes the threats to its financial sustainablity as "considerable".
http://www.iwm.org.uk/sites/default/files/...Plan2014-17.pdf )
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Joe Barr

[Martin Edwards]

It seems the great has left Great Britain.
When I was there in June there was talk of winding up the Red Arrows because they need their aircraft replaced and even the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is in the sights of the bean counters. Not good.