Over three days, parishioners and friends of St. Andrew’s Church, Stratton came together to celebrate in flowers the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. All the exhibits celebrated events during her long reign. One in particular reminded the visitor of a plea for peace in the 1960s called ‘Flower Power’.
This movement later adopted the Beatles’song ‘All you Need is Love’as its theme tune.The Power of Flowers and love in many of their manifestations were the overriding themes of this festival. These ranged from Pat Boundy’s display of the Friends of Stratton Hospital in the porch, through memories of the last 70 years in Stratton by the Old Cornwall Society, to national highlights such as the World Cup win in 1966 re-imagined by Val Hopper, the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth by Cate Haggas, but also social history in the form of a humorous and colourful display of fashion in the fifties designed by Ellen Hall.The Queen is Patron to over 500 organisations dedicated to education and training, sports and recreation, faith, the arts and culture. There were displays showing all these interests from Wimbledon, illustrated by the family of Kath Bryant, wildlife ‘Celebrating the Bee’by Jackie McGarry, to the phenomenal success of the Beatles.
Key international developments were remembered in a display by Heather Thomas and Jennie Siddalls of Kilkhampton Church, focusing with gratitude on the courage and love for his patients of Dr. Christian Barnard, undertaking the first heart transplant in South Africa in 1967. The pulpit was used as a background to reflect onthe Internet, invented by Sir Tim Bernes-Lee, transforming aspects of our lives in so many ways. His tireless efforts to make it a force for good, benefitting education and bringing opportunities, and his continuing struggle against forces in society who constantly subvert his original intention, harming lives and creating misery.
The themes of falling and the offer of redemption were suggested through flowers. The great significance of the Queen’s visit to Ireland was celebrated by Judy Dunne. Her displayhad floral tributes to the green, the orange and the white for peace of the Tricolour Irish flag.Val Barker and Sheila Waring used the Lady Chapel to celebrate the Ordination of Women and as a dedication to Sheila’s mother-in-law, the late Revd. Sheila Waring, one of the first women to be Priested in the Church of England. Also included were pictures of Revd.
Alison Hardy and Revd. Teresa Folland, the current vicar of St. Andrew’s, both of whom are carrying forward the dedicated work of women at the heart of church life. The Queen’s long-standing patronage of the Mother’s Union and support for all the marvellous work and influence for good that it brings both nationally and internationally. Attention to this important organisation was brought by Sandy Cheshire the MU local Branch Leader.Patriotic Posy Stands by Anne Day filled the aisle with colour, leading towards a wonderful display by Lyzette Bevan in loving memory of Thelma and Fred Copeland. Thelma and Fred were much-loved members of St. Andrew’s church