Sir, The news in last Friday's issue seems good indeed for both the Ministry of Defence and for Oxford city with its expectation of the bonus of a substantial cash windfall. There will, however, be casualties.

First the removal of the TA and Cadets from The Slade will leave the University Training Corps as the sole representatives of the military in the city where the County Regiment, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the Yeomanry, the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars, have been present as part of the community, in one way or another, for over 200 years. The second issue relates to the collections and archives of the two regiments. At the moment, the Slade buildings house the excellent small museum and reserve collection of the Ox and Bucks as well as the Yeomanry's historic collection. Incredibly, the Ministry of Defence has no obligation to re-house these precious items, which relate to virtually every family originating in the county.

In 1999, the Regimental Trusts of the county united to form a Charitable Trust, Soldiers of Oxfordshire (SOFO), with the purpose of establishing a military museum to cover all the county's military history.

Recognising the threat posed by the Slade redevelopment, SOFO has used £50,000 of Heritage Lottery Fund money to catalogue electronically the collections and archives (now on the web) and are negotiating with the county council for their long-term storage and maintenance. This will cost a further £500,000 which SOFO has undertaken to raise.

As the recipient of the Slade 'windfall', Oxford City Council can be in a unique position to assist SOFO's fundraising with a significant donation.

SOFO hope your readers will support their aims and fundraising.

Tim May, Deputy chairman, Soldiers of Oxfordshire