DELEGATES from all over the world will attend the 18th biennial conference of the Beatrix Potter Society to be hosted in Kendal at the Castle Green Hotel from September 11 to 15.

The conference will include a display of artwork by local schools to celebrate the centenary of the publication of The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse. It will also feature a market place where women whose work reflects and epitomises the values and ethos of Beatrix Potter will be on display and for sale.

Conference chair Carol Thompson said: “Beatrix Potter was a strong, independent intelligent woman who was in many ways ahead of her time. Our choice of market place traders, designated entrepreneurial women of Cumbria, reflects her drive and spirit.”

The keynote speech will be from Douglass Chalmers, Chief Executive Officer of Friends of the Lake District, who will talk about UNESCO World Heritage site status. This will link closely with the legacy left by Beatrix Potter in the form of land, her dedication to Herdwick sheep breeding, conservation and the preservation of Cumbrian culture.

The society is registered as a charity in the United Kingdom and exists to promote the study and appreciation of the life and works of Beatrix Potter (1866 – 1943). People are expected to attend from Australia, USA, Japan and Europe.