THE new Fusiliers' Museum, planned to open in the Arts and Crafts Centre in Bury in 2009 is still thwarted by funding issues, after tenders were returned at a much higher cost than the project team expected earlier this year.

Nevertheless planning work continues and following the success of a Magic Lantern Night in March, the Friends of the Fusiliers' Museum, in collaboration with Bury Grammar School, have organised Magic Lantern Night II.

The event will take place on the evening of Thursday September 20. It will be hosted by Mark Hone, the head of history and politics at Bury Grammar School, and will begin at 7pm in the hall of the Girls School, concluding at 10.30pm. The cost is £5, which includes a hot pot supper.

The School Combined Cadet Force was formed in 1892 and was attached to the First Volunteer Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers.

In 1952 the Detachment was formally cap-badged to the Fusiliers and has remained so ever since. The fine school hall contains many memorials recording the service of pupils from the school.

"This is partly a fund-raising activity", said museum curator Mike Glover "and partly a warm-up for the sort of events that will take place increasingly as we work towards the opening of the museum - and regularly once we are fully open."

The first part of the evening will be focused on the recollections of Mrs Marjorie Fielding - a true daughter of the Regiment.

Born in Kabul, her father was a regular Lancashire Fusilier serving in India in the period prior to the First World War.

She recollects his stories of soldiering in India as well as his experience at Lancashire Landing in 1915 and service on the Western Front.

Following the Great War Mrs Fielding's father left the regular Army but served in the Home Guard during the Second World War.

After supper, Mike Glover will talk about the recent funerals of the Lancashire Fusiliers in Belgium, including Private Richard Lancaster of the 2nd Battalion who was killed in action in 1914. And Duncan Howarth will describe his work on the Lancashire Fusilier Archive.

Tickets are available from Regimental Headquarters in Bolton Road. Call 0161 764 2208 for details.

Other fundraising activities like the Buy-a brick' scheme are still in full swing and several applications are in hand to charitable trusts.

The brick certificates make original presents, and the bricks themselves make fine memorials to people or events. Every brick will be represented in the new displays with its owner's name as a record of the wonderful written dedications people have made. With a total of 10,000 bricks involved, the Brick Sale Scheme alone can add £100,000 to the project. If you haven't already bought some, please clip out the coupon here, the new Fusiliers' Museum needs your help now more than ever before.

Learn more about this and the museum project or make a donation on our website www.fusiliersmuseum-lancashire.org.uk. For any other information call 0161 764 2208.