The Minster Flower Festival held over the weekend of September 2 to 5 has been hailed a great success, writes Anthony Oliver.
Many favourable comments have flowed in as to how much it was enjoyed.

Parts of the beautiful displays. Photo by Tom Scrase

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.
Sonnaz Nooranvary (Sonnaz from the BBCs Repair Shop) opened the festival along with the Rev Canon Andrew Rowland and Chris Brown the Town Crier.
The crypt was transformed into a Chapel of Peace.
The festival was held to mark the 900th anniversary of the start of the present Minster building as we see it today. Postponed from 2020 due to the Pandemic, there was a steady flow of visitors throughout the weekend.
Taking part were flower clubs from across Dorset, one from Hampshire and the Minster’s own arrangers with other local churches.

Town Crier Chris Brown, Sharon from Carnival Flowers, TV Star Sonnaz Nooranvary and Rev. Photo by Tom Scrase

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.
Sunday marked the Minster’s 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 rededicated the rebuilt 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 1980s.

Sonnaz enjoys a joke. Photo by Tom Scrase