A free event is being planned for Dorchester’s Corn Exchange in November to mark a century since the ending of the First World War.

Other public events include a public sculpture, a Poppy Trail, beacon lighting and siting ‘Silent Soldiers’ around the town.

Dorchester Town Council staff are co-ordinating the activities with other events in the town being planned by the churches and schools.

The main commemoration will take place in the Corn Exchange on November 7 and will include talks from local historians, the History Centre and the Keep Military Museum with music from pupils at St Osmund’s School and the Thomas Hardye School.

Heritage Lottery funding has been granted to produce a WW1 Poppy Trail which will shed light on Dorchester’s largely hidden wartime history and will include information boards and a downloadable leaflet. The project is currently being researched by volunteers using resources at the Keep Military Museum, Dorset County Museum and the Dorset History Centre.

Two ‘silent soldiers’ being produced by the Royal British Legion have been bought by the town council for the commemorations with plans to place one near the War Memorial for Remembrance Day.

Also to be unveiled, on a site opposite the War Memorial close to the Prince of Wales Road junction, will be a sculpture by local artist Mike Chapman which will be based around the themes of peace and friendship. Its design will be similar to a sculpture he has already produced for Dorchester’s twin German town of Lubbecke.

Deputy town clerk Steve Newman told councillors that a beacon lighting was also being proposed on November 11 at 7.05pm at Salisbury Field with local churches talking about a ‘ringing out for peace’ event, also on November 11.

A special anniversary concert is also being proposed at St Mary’s Church on November 10 with musicians from the Thomas Hardye School and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.