Work begins for Minster Flower Festival

IN his multiple incarnations the Angel Gabriel has been a Saxon farmer, God, Joseph and a trumpeter. Saint Cuthburga was transformed into the Virgin Mary and is now an angel.

"They are pretty good actors," said Christine Oliver who is one of two designers working on this year's Wimborne Minster Flower Festival.

The other designer is Mollie Bush, and they are helped by a group of volunteers.

In all there will be tableaux featuring ten angels, five musicians and three monks.

Although the festival - which takes place every five years - isn't until September, Christine's home is already filled with partially finished papier-mâché figures. In addition, Christine recycles mannequins.

This year's theme is The Gift of Music and nine local flower clubs, the Minster bellringers and church groups will have the job of producing arrangements to fill the church, which celebrated the 1300th anniversary of its founding five years ago.

Music to be depicted includes piano concerto, folk festival, Thomas Hardy - Under the Greenwood, jazz, taize, choir, nursery rhymes, lullabies and sea shanties.

Taking pride of place will be a fabulous floral carpet.

Christine, who at one time was a window dresser, said she would love to have gone to art college and worked behind the scenes in the theatre.

For various reasons it wasn't to be, but she will have the satisfaction of once again masterminding a flower festival which will be visited by thousands of people over the four day period from Friday 10th to Monday 13th September.

"My aim is to give pleasure to people - those making the arrangements and those coming to see it," she said.

The flower clubs signed up for the festival are Blandford and District Floral Group, Broadstone and Corfe Mullen Floral Decoration Society, Colehill Floral Arrangement Club, Ferndown Flower Arrangement Society, Lytchett Minster and Upton Floral Club, Parkstone Floral Decoration Society and Verwood Flower Club.

Marilyn Barber

mbarber@bvmedia.co.uk