Volunteers at Gloucestershire's Jet Age Museum are embarking on a major extension to their current display hall and exhibition space, but they need more funding.

Groundwork on the extension started just beforeChristmas and is well on its way to completion. Further work on the basic shell of the extension is continuing, while visitors enjoy the collection in the current display hall.

This first stage of the extension is funded by the museum itself and a substantial grant from the Gloucestershire Environmental Trust (GET). The overall cost of this phase is around £330,000, and when complete it will increase the floor area by 68 per cent.

Jet Age is very grateful for the support of GET, which means the popular museum can enhance its experience of Gloucestershire's rich aviation history to its visitors.

The next phase of the extension will be the fit-out of the shell, giving visitors the opportunity to view restoration activity, take advantage of an education room, an art gallery and an expanded archive on a mezzanine floor. To complete this phase, volunteers need to raise up to £1 million.

To help them hit their target, Jet Age volunteers are preparing to launch a huge fundraising campaign from 8th April. The date marks the 78 year anniversary of the first time a UK jet powered aircraft became airborne during 'taxi trials' at Brockworth.

The fundraising campaign will include grant submissions, requests for industry and individual sponsorship and self-funding from museum routine activity and special events, as well as individual volunteer fundraising. The museum is preparing for a month long Women in Aviation exhibition in May and one of the museum trustees is planning to trek to Everest Base camp in October.

The expanded Jet Age Museum will represent in more detail the proud aviation history of Gloucestershire, perhaps the greatest of all aviation counties.