SOFO Museum Chairman Ian Inshaw Steps Down

Ian Inshaw speaking at the launch of the Oxfordshire Remembers Exhibition in 2018

Brigadier Ian Inshaw, longstanding Chairman of the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust, has stepped down after fifteen years which has seen the creation and establishment of one of Britain’s leading military museums in Woodstock and the only such museum in Oxfordshire.

A career Army Officer, Ian spent his last five years as Commander of the Bicester Garrison and on retirement joined the Trust to help create a new concept for a military museum: telling the stories of how conflict has affected the lives of people in Oxfordshire.

His time as Chairman brought together the strong military heritage of Oxfordshire which includes its two former County Regiments, the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars and the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, and its strong links with the Royal Air Force and the US Air Force, and many components of the Royal Logistic Corps.

From early beginnings in 2009 Ian was committed to the creation of a museum that was attractive, unique and sustainable. Today’s purpose-built modern museum in the attractive grounds of the Oxfordshire  Museum in Woodstock is his legacy; it is the result of his leadership and determination to ensure that the stories of Oxfordshire’s soldiers, airmen and their families and communities should be accessible to all.

The Museum is once again open to the public after a Covid-enforced shutdown and the Trust’s team of museum professionals have created an exciting programme of events for the year ahead.
The Trustees of the Museum have embarked on a search for Ian Inshaw’s successor, and in the meantime Trustee David Shouesmith has taken over as interim Chairman.

The Trustees are hugely grateful for Ian’s unstinting passion and commitment to the museum and are delighted that Ian himself will continue to work with the Trust as a Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum Ambassador.