Sir – The letter from David Wildridge (November 29) makes the very important point about the source of funding for the Bomber Command Heritage (BCH) project to purchase and renovate RAF Bicester.

He says this should not depend on public money. And it does need a lot of money. But a bit of homework would have been appropriate. Let’s immediately give credit here where credit is due. This bid is the culmination of more than ten years’ painstaking work by the very dedicated team behind Bomber Command Heritage that has been pressing the MoD to sell the RAF Bicester technical site. This is well known locally as a result of regular awareness events. A most comprehensive plan of action that is sensitive to the listing constraints of the site has been developed. This BCH project has two particular champions who see the advantages for the community.

First, Sir Tony Baldry. In fact, he deserves huge credit for pressing the MoD to sell this seriously deteriorating site and actually raising the disposal issue in Parliament. This is why RAF Bicester is on the market at last. And why BCH? Simply because it has been the only game in town all this time. Others failed to come forward until now.

Second, Cherwell District Council has grasped the nettle of supporting the BCH because officers can appreciate the diverse benefits of the project to the community as a whole. It has demonstrated this by providing a guarantee of finance to help purchase the site. This is in the form of a loan, not a gift. So, this will need to be repaid. Some serious fundraising is in hand. It is these two initiatives that combine to make the BCH bid so credible and anybody can contribute of course. So perhaps David Wildridge may be able to help guide suitable large investors to the BCH/Cherwell cause?

Chris Brockbank, Stratton Audley