SEDGLEY Archives Group is to use innovative software to help people share local history material.

The group will set up a website to gather historical records from Gornal and Sedgley, with a new archive system allowing guest curators from anywhere in the world to contribute.

Historical maps, photos, press cuttings and personal audio reminiscences will all be made accessible online.

The new archive system has been developed by Rob Asterley, an IT student at Birkbeck College in London.

Martin Jones, Sedgley Archives project coordinator, said: “There is currently no web-based system enabling people to submit items of interest to a dedicated local history archive from their home computers, wherever they may be in the world.

“The new software system will make it easy to upload and share such materials.”

One of the first tasks will be to archive the audio interviews about shops in High Street, Bull Ring and Dudley Street, Sedgley, gathered at Reminiscence Cafes held at churches and community venues in Sedgley over recent months.

There will be a special meeting of the People's Archive at Cafe Cappella, Gospel End Street, Sedgley, on Saturday, April 28, at 11am.

Anyone interested can contact Martin Jones on mmjones29@blueyonder.co.uk.