Visitors to Wakefield Cathedral tripled over the Rhubarb Festival weekend – with around a thousand people coming into the Grade 1 listed building in the heart of the city on one of the days alone.
The rhubarb inspired menu with its tarts, pies, crumbles, and pork and rhubarb rolls served in the Cathedral Kitchen, sold out early each day of the three days of the festival – from February 23-25th – and takings exceeded expectations. And over 2,000 people visited the Cathedral - some of them on the Cathedral's Rhubarb Trail - over the festival period.
And our diocesan bishop, the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Revd Nick Baines said thanks for the fruits of the earth – and particularly rhubarb - as he preached at the 9.15 and the 11am services on the Sunday morning.
With the backdrop of the festival stallholders lining the city’s precinct getting ready for the final day of the festival, Bishop Nick gave thanks for the earth and everything in it.
“For the soil rich and precious, for farmers who work with nature and preserve the beauty and diversity of God’s creation.
“For growing awareness we all depend on the earth..for the wisdom to live in ways to slow down climate change and keep the rains falling.
“And for the grace to recognise we are part of God’s creation with responsibility to care for God’s earth and our fellow creatures, we give thanks.”
You can listen to Bishop Nick at the 9.15 service outside here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL9DXnmg_Wk
Watch the 11am service with Bishop Nick in full here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1sMgo57ofU
Wakefield Cathedral’s Canon Precentor, the Revd Leah Vasey Saunders said: “We have much to celebrate in this city; lots of exciting events and festivals; it is part of who we are here in Wakefield, and our Cathedral, here in the heart of the city, is an integral part of that. ”