I have represented the Society on a number of local organisations involved with cultural matters and the most rewarding of these is the Ipswich Heritage Group. It was created by Tim Heyburn, then the Head of Ipswich Museums, who felt that his organisation was the focal point around which all the many heritage bodies could come together. He was right.

It has been a valuable networking forum for many groups and once again I’ve been impressed with the range of activities and the depth of appreciation fostered by societies in our town. The main contributors to the group are:

Ipswich Maritime Trust, Friends of Ipswich Museum, Ipswich Historic Churches Trust, Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, Suffolk Archaeological Unit, Ipswich Transport Museum, Ipswich Co-operative Society Education, Ipswich Building Society, Clifford Road Primary School Museum, Ipswich and Regional Blue Badge Guides, Ipswich Town Guides, Suffolk Record Office, GeoSuffolk, Ipswich Borough Council, Ipswich Tourist Information Centre, Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service and, of course, ourselves.

Secretarial support has been provided by the Museums Service and I am pleased to say the since the merger with Colchester this has continued. In fact, Peter Berridge and other leading colleagues from Colchester have been very supportive of our organisation which had no equivalent in Colchester. And Colchester who would be helpful.

At our meeting in July, the question of recording Second World war installations and sites in Ipswich was discussed. Something similar has been done in Colchester. Are there any Ipswich Society members who would be interested in exploring and recording such World War II heritage in Ipswich? If so, please let me know and I could put you in touch with people in Ipswich.

Neil Salmon