A NEWPORT woman fears a centre opened to showcase her late husband’s collection of military band memorabilia may close unless more volunteers come forward.

Ann Gatehouse opened the Gatehouse Heritage Centre in Newport Market in May last year to promote the Jerome Gatehouse Collection Trust to the people of Newport.

Young people also visit the centre to help archive the collection which contains tens of thousands of items including photographs, programmes, musical recordings and videos.

But now, due to health reasons, Mrs Gatehouse says she is not able to open the centre regularly and therefore needs help otherwise the centre could be shut down.

She said: “I would be devastated if it had to close but I cannot get there on a regular basis.

“The centre has also now become a place for young people to improve their archiving and IT skills and I have just received grants to help with the project but I now need people to help run the centre.”

GAVO (Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations) recently awarded the centre £1,502.94 for computer hardware and the Welsh Church Fund, which is administered by Newport council, awarded £900 towards a specially designed database to list all the items.

Volunteers are needed to help with jobs including opening and closing the unit, helping with the IT work and supervising young IT trainees. Anyone who can help is asked to contact Mrs Gatehouse on 01633 781612 or e-mail gatehousecollection@ ntlworld.com Mr Gatehouse, who died in 1994, spent 27 years researching and collecting military band memorabilia and writing the histories of the military bands. It is hoped one day the collection can be displayed in a museum.