Wimborne Minster Flower Festival is a great success

The Minster Flower Festival held over the weekend of 2nd to 5th September has been hailed a great success. Many favourable comments have flowed in as to how much it was enjoyed. Entitled “Trades- Past and Present”, a number of the Arrangements certainly portrayed their subject including the Gamekeeper, Wine Merchant, Rope Makers, Drapers, Glaziers, Herbalist and Basketry. The Crypt was transformed into a Chapel of Peace with candles as the Candlemaker.

The Festival was held to mark the 900th anniversary of the start of the present Minster building as we see it today. There was a steady flow of visitors throughout the weekend. Taking part were Flower Clubs from across Dorset, one from Hampshire and the Minsters own Arrangers with other local Churches. There were a number of generous sponsors to the Festival including the Wimborne BID.

It is hoped that around £10,000 will have been raised for Minster Funds with a donation also being given to the Forest Holme Hospice.

The Sunday marked the Minsters Patronal Festival and at the morning Parish Eucharist we welcomed the new Bishop of Salisbury, the Right Revd Stephen Lake for his first visit to the Minster. He both Presided and Preached. He also Blessed the Flower Festival and Re-dedicated the re-built Minster Organ. The Lord Lieutenant of Dorset, the High Sheriff and the Town Mayor were also present. The Bishop cut a celebratory cake after the service. In the afternoon the Minster Bell Ringers rang a full peal to celebrate the Festival and at Choral Evensong we welcomed as our Preacher the Venerable Barney Hopkinson who was Rector of the Minster in the 1980’s.