FOLLOWING last month's grand opening of West House, in Pinner, the trust which runs the new museum and art gallery is preparing to launch yet another major fundraising campaign.

Almost 1,000 people attended the opening of West House on June 20, as well as enjoying a wide range of family entertainment in Pinner Memorial Park.

The renovated house now provides the first permanent home for the works of eccentric cartoonist and former Pinner resident, Heath Robinson.

Although still celebrating the achievement of reopening West House after 18 years, the West House and Heath Robinson Memorial Trust is already looking ahead to a possible extension.

The trust holds 500 original pieces of the artist's work but only has room to display about 20 at any one time. Cynthia Wells, who has been closely involved in the West House restoration project from the beginning, told the Observer: "We have had very good feedback so far, everyone has said how wonderful it is and what an asset it is to Pinner.

"This is probably the biggest thing to happen to Pinner in a generation. It's a great facility and it is only just dawning on us what we have achieved. But the next phase is for a bigger purpose-built gallery on the north side of West House, that will have more space to hold our Heath Robinson collection."

More than £1million was needed for the first phase of work, much of which was donated by local residents.

Although the building is now open to the public twice a week, there are hopes to open more frequently in future if volunteers are forthcoming to work in the gallery and shop.

The kitchen, lift and second-floor office still need to be completed during summer, and a tenant for the latter is being sought to provide a valuable income stream.

The opening of West House was presided over by former children's laureate Michael Rosen, who grew up in Pinner. Writer and comic Barry Cryer, a patron of the trust, and TV personality Bob Holness, a Pinner resident, added further star quality to the event.

It was a rare public appearance for the former Blockbusters host who has recently been suffering from ill health, but clearly showed the pride that residents feel for West House.

Mrs Wells said: "It was a real family occasion, we had wonderful entertainment run by [educational volunteer] Lucy Taylor and [parish youth minister] Elise Allanson.

"Everything just blossomed, the park was so full, a great day for Pinner."

Mr Rosen, a poet as well as a children's author, also awarded prizes to the winners of a poetry competition.

In declaring West House open for the first time since its forced closure in 1992, he was joined by the Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Asad Omar.

The gallery is now open on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, while the cafe at West House is open seven days a week. Anyone interested in volunteering at the gallery should call Judith Elliott on 020 8868 3768.