The BFI is to obtain the Central Office of Information’s entire moving image archive collection when it closes on March 31.

The BFI National Archive is to obtain the COI’s entire moving image collection, including 1970s public information and royal visit films, ahead of its closure on March 31.

It will be the largest single collection ever obtained by the BFI and adds to the large number of COI films already in the Public Records Collection, which have been released on DVD since 2010.

The collection includes Royal Destiny (1953), a look at the Queen’s early life, made in her coronation year as well as public information films from the 70s which featured characters such as Charley the cat and Tufty the squirrel.

The collection will be preserved in the BFI’s master film store and will be made available on different platforms including online and in the mediatheque at the BFI Southbank.

The latest volume of COI films will be released by the BFI in time for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and will show the Queen on various royal visits between 1953 and 1971.

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