English Heritage, officially known as the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, has recently announced the foundation of a new Archaeological Forum which aims to open up generations of invaluable research to a wider public. English Heritage is among a number of UK heritage organisations joining together in the forum to address the task of making archaeological archives, with their depth of information and photographs, easier to access. Kathy Perrin, who is responsible for archaeological archives policy at English Heritage and Secretary of the Forum, has commented that archaeological archives are among societies greatest assets, but their wealth often remains untapped and their potential often remains unexplored. 'The forum hopes to change this by creating new standards of access and deposition. We want archives to be a source of exciting interactive learning and research for everyone, from schoolchildren to professors,' she added. The provision of archaeological resource centres, digital access and archiving and training in post excavation archiving, are all said to be high on the Forum’s agenda, with the blueprint of the Museum of London’s Archaeological Research Centre released in February this year. The Forum, which held its first meeting in May 2002, is the result of an initiative by English Heritage following the publication of its report Archaeological Archives; Access Documentation and Deposition: A Way Forward, written by Kathy Perrin. The Forum currently comprises representatives of: The Archaeology Data Service, The Association of Local Government Archaeological Officers, The Council for British Archaeology, English Heritage, The Institute of Field Archaeologists, The Institute of Field Archaeologists Finds Group, The Museums Documentation Association, The Society of Antiquaries of London, The Society of Museum Archaeologists, The Standing Conference of Archaeological Unit Managers and Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries. Work is under way to involve representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the new Forum's activities. Further information on English Heritage is available online at; www.english-heritage.org.uk