Contact John Weston if you would like to participate and benefit from the VSS DDB, which is available only to participating VSS members. The Database is a massive undertaking and aims to list all village signs, present or past, and it is only fair that members respect the copyright of this venture, and do not reproduce the database for others.

The Database is cross-referenced with the Village Sign Society's Photobase (pictorial library) of village signs.

Regular updates of the DDB will be published in Village Sign Times.

Co-ordinator is John Weston, 21 Prestwick Drive, Bishop's Stortford, Herts, CM23 5ER. Email: jdmw@freeuk.com.

Photobase is the word coined by the Village Sign Society for a record on CD of photographs of all the known village signs throughout the country. This ambitious project was started in September 2003 with the object of forming an archive which would become the authoritative record of town and village signs in the country and to which members could apply for individual photographs. Over 3,000 signs have been archived.

The images on the CDs are in the same order as on the Dynamic Database (DDB) and the two are cross-referenced, the idea being that for every entry in the DDB there is a photograph in the Photobase. A start was made with Norfolk and Suffolk, they being the counties with the most signs and for which an almost complete collection was held by the co-ordinator.

After much sorting of photos and research into older photographs, a CD of the town and village signs of those two counties has been completed. Copies have been made to guard against any mishap. it is wrong, perhaps, to use the word completed for new signs are being erected all the time. Arrangements will be made to update to include these.

All contributions from members are welcome. Without them the project cannot be a success since it is virtually impossible for one person to visit all signs plus return visits to check for renewals and additions. All such contributions are acknowledged from time to time in the quarterly magazine, Village Sign Times. Images can be sent by email, on floppy disc or CD, or by posting a photograph or negative to Bertie Southernwood, 3 The Pightle, North Cove, Beccles, Suffolk, NR34 7PR or email sylbert@btopenworld.com.