From today (30 October), St Paul’s Church is inviting Bedfordians into its quiet and historic surroundings to pause for thought at its Rainbow Festival of Hope.
The festival will feature installations created by local groups to signify remembrance, wellbeing, hope, peace, and gratitude, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.
A fabric rainbow, the symbol of hope, will lead into a pot of gold which will contain people’s cards of reflections.
These will be included in a memorial book to be used in a service to mark the challenges we have faced during this hard time.
Groups represented include a school and the Friends of Bedford Hospital who thank the community for its support with photos of homemade PPE equipment donated during this year’s lockdown.
There is also a new Teddy Trail for children to follow around the church.
Central to the displays will be a ‘Peace Phoenix’ sculpted out of amnestied knives from across Bedfordshire.
The sculpture expresses hope rising out of lives shattered and the need for us all to support our communities.
All members of the public are invited to attend the Requiem Mass for All Souls Day at midday on Wednesday 4 November and light a candle of remembrance.
The Festival of Hope is open from midday to 2pm daily from Friday 30 October until Thursday 5 November.
You can find further details at the St Paul’s Church website or call 01234 340163.
