Communications firm Pennine Telecom has agreed a significant sponsorship package for the new Fusiliers' Museum which will open in the Cultural Quarter of Bury town centre in the spring of 2009.

Steve McLaughlin represented the company at a meeting last Friday with campaign manager Colonel Eric Davidson and Mike Holt from Waterman Engineering and Environmental Consultants. The package will include data links, telecommunications and computer equipment and will be an in kind' donation.

Discussion took place about the practical needs of the new museum which will have a larger staffing structure than the existing small museum in Wellington Barracks and which will include easy- access computer databases of archival information. The databases will be able to be updated by museum staff and volunteers as the digitisation of the archive progresses. Pennine's generosity will make them official Patrons' of the project and they will be named along with other givers in the museum's foyer.

Colonel Eric said of the meeting: "We are delighted with this offer from Pennine, a firm which I have known and trusted for a long time, and with the care they are taking to help us to get the communications package that is right for us."

The meeting followed a pre-contract meeting with construction firm Anelays. A ground breaking ceremony is being planned for October 12 and the contractors will take over the site the following Monday. There is still a lot of money to be raised before the project can be completed and the fundraising team continue to make progress - but are not resting on their laurels. The Buy-a-brick' scheme is 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 owners' 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 on Page 22 of this newspaper, 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.