The Priest's House Museum & Garden is holding a First World War conference on Saturday 20 August, 9.30 to 4.30 at the Wimborne Community Learning and Resource Centre. The theme will be the 'Interpretation, Commemoration and Memory of the First World War by the Community'. The conference is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The day of talks and presentations will explore the role of the local community, its museums and other organisations, in interpreting and remembering the conflict. Speakers will include Professors Gaynor Kavanagh, Nicholas J Saunders and Margaret Cox, along with contributions from Somerset and Dorset Family History Society and the Keep Military Museum.

Professor Margaret Cox is Britain's first forensic archaeologist, and founder of the world's first forensic archaeology and anthropology department at Bournemouth University. Professor Cox will talk about the Fromelles Project, which is led by a joint Australian and British team identifying the soldiers lost at the Battle of Fromelles.

Professor Gaynor Kavanagh is a qualified and experienced curator, who for many years was part of the Department of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester. She is author of 'Museums and the First World War: A Social History' and will be speaking on memory and locality.

The conflict archaeologist and anthropologist, Professor Nicholas Saunders, will focus on trench art, objects made by soldiers from the debris of war.

Other speakers booked include Alan Brown who will cover the research of Army and Navy ancestors and Chris Copson from the Keep Military Museum in Dorchester. Finally Chris Brown will present the local story of Montague Edgar Randall, who was born in the parish of Wimborne Minster in 1883 and served in the Dorsetshire Regiment.

Tickets priced at £5 (£10 with buffet lunch), including entrance to the museum, are available from Wimborne Tourist Information Centre or on 01202 886116. Places are limited.