INFORMATION PACK

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Arabella Barnett
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HEAVENLY FLOWERS AT WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL 24 28 JUNE 2015 Expect a flower extravaganza like no other.

Thousands of flowers will be used to create stunning displays of contemporary and traditional floral designs, under the lead of artistic director Hans Haverkamp, who hopes his beautiful blooms will

2 HEAVENLY FLOWERS AT WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL JUNE 2015 Expect a flower extravaganza like no other. Prepare to be enchanted and enthralled by majestic flower arrangements and installations cascading through the cathedral, inspiring awe and wonder. Thousands of flowers will be used to create stunning displays of contemporary and traditional floral designs, under the lead of artistic director Hans Haverkamp, who hopes his beautiful blooms will 'surprise, overwhelm and lift people who visit the festival. Staged by the Wessex and Jersey Area of the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS), a devoted team of 300 volunteers will work to bring Hans' unique flower designs to life. Against the stone walls of the cathedral and illuminated by sunlight pouring through the stained glass windows, the flower installations promise to be a sight to behold - and a reason to rejoice. And to complement the spectacular array of floral displays which will fill the medieval building with colour, a summer market with hand-picked exhibitors and floral displays will be held in a beautiful marquee and surrounding grounds in the Cathedral s historic Inner Close. Highly popular in 2013, this year s market builds upon the success outside as well as inside the building and new features this year include Potting Sheds and workshops. Procession from the 2013 Festival gives an indication of the scale that can be achieved in the Cathedral. Cascades follows the breathtaking success of the 2013 'Symphony of Flowers' festival that attracted 16,000 visitors. Against the stone walls of the cathedral and illuminated by sunlight pouring through the stained glass windows, the floral designs promise to be a sight to behold. Cascades will surely be another memorable experience for all to share and enjoy.

team of 300 volunteers to bring the flower designs to life. The flower festival is such a fantastic event for us, says Mala Williams, Chair of the Wessex and Jersey Area of NAFAS.

3 WHAT IS CASCADES? Wessex and Jersey Area of the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) are delighted to be staging the Winchester Cathedral Flower Festival again this year, and will work with a team of 300 volunteers to bring the flower designs to life. The flower festival is such a fantastic event for us, says Mala Williams, Chair of the Wessex and Jersey Area of NAFAS. It s absolutely wonderful to watch this sea of ladies working with thousands of pounds worth of flowers, generously provided by the cathedral, and transforming them into really beautiful floral designs. The creative director for the last festival was floral designer Angela Turner and this year she passes the baton to Artistic Director Hans Haverkamp, supported by two fellow designers, Bill Dixon & Pauline Hurran, who lead the creative team on behalf of NAFAS to create Flower Festival 2015: Cascades. Cascading flowers and plant materials are the obvious interpretation of the title, says Hans, who has previously won Gold and Best in Show at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. And though visitors will encounter this in various guises and multiple designs, I also wanted to find twists on what could be considered as obvious. This is my challenge as a designer: finding a different viewpoint, incorporating an unusual or surprising flower, challenging the viewer s perceptions, yet also balancing the different with the trusted and well-loved traditional beauty of arranging flowers. Finding inspiration in the Cathedral itself, with cavernous spaces sitting alongside intimate chapels, Hans feels that his designs will reflect the soul of the building as a living place of worship. He hopes his floral designs will surprise, overwhelm and lift people who visit the festival. For almost a thousand years, people have visited the Cathedral to seek inspiration and the Flower Festival is set to be another memorable experience for all to share and enjoy. Above: One of the highly popular displays at the 2013 festival was by the Cathedral s own Flower Team, and featured one of the Cathedrals most famous residents, Jane Austen. Left: The Cathedral is a treasure trove of hidden and unexpected spaces for the inventive designer, such as The Crypt, where lighting and Sound II were features of the display.

4 INFORMATION OPENING TIMES JUNE Wednesday to Saturday, 9am 8pm Sunday, 9am 6pm Last admission one hour before closing. TICKETS 10 Adults, 5 Children under 16, 8 Groups of 15 or more and NAFAS members. Advance booking is highly recommended and includes fast-track admission. CATHEDRAL BOX OFFICE Telephone booking: ; Internet booking: OTHER ATTRACTIONS AT THE FESTIVAL To complement the spectacular array of floral displays which will fill the medieval building with colour, a summer market with hand-picked exhibitors and floral displays will be held in a beautiful marquee and surrounding grounds in the Cathedral s historic Inner Close. Highly popular in 2013, this year s market builds upon the success outside as well as inside the building and a new features this year include Potting Sheds, beautiful displays in their own right and giving inspiration for some ideas which could be used on a smaller scale at home. And visitors will be able to take the opportunity to attend workshops, organised by local firm Bella Crafts, to hone some of those practical skills to bring their own displays to fruition. EATING & DRINKING CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT There will be a range of drinks and refreshments available at the festival. Corporate Entertainment options will also be available and anyone interested in finding out more should contact ; catering@winchester-cathedral.org.uk. PREVIEW EVENING Tuesday 23 June at 6.15pm An exclusive viewing of the arrangements with a champagne and canapé reception. Guests are invited to join us for Choral Evensong, sung by the Cathedral Choir, at 5.30pm. Tickets: 30 (required for the preview evening only, admission to Choral Evensong being free) are from the Cathedral Box Office. FLOWER FESTIVAL CONCERT Saturday June 27 at 8.30pm Entitled Choral Cascades, Winchester Cathedral Chamber Choir performs a programme of music with a floral theme, surrounded by the magnificence of the Flower Festival, and set in the Cathedral itself. Tickets: 30, which include a welcome drink and exclusive viewing are again from the Cathedral Box Office. GROUP BOOKINGS Groups are welcome but must book in advance. Special arrangements can be made for admission and catering if required. Please contact the Visitor Services Team on ; visits@winchestercathedral.org.uk.

5 MEDIA The following are arrangements for media coverage. 1. A selection of authorized images to accompany this pack is available from the following link: 2. The main Press Day will be Tuesday 23 June, which is open to all media. 3. There will be opportunities in the morning to cover the final stages of set-up. 4. There will be opportunities for interviews and coverage of the final displays from Live TV opportunities are available from , although pre-recording is possible throughout the day. 6. Radio interviews will be available for pre-record from June. We regret that live interviews from June will not be possible on this occasion, apart for in exceptional circumstances. 7. A selection of images for those not able to attend on Tuesday 23 rd will be available at the dropbox above from on the Wednesday morning. A link will be circulated when they have been posted. 8. Accredited photographers may attend during the festival itself but this will be by prior arrangement only, for reasons of likely visitor numbers. 9. Additional opportunities may be available during the festival, but once open to the public there may be some limitations as to what and when. 10. In order to accommodate as many people s requests as possible, we would ask all media intending to attend the festival to contact the Press Office (details below) as soon as possible and no later than midday on Friday 19 June. Cathedral Press Office Simon Barwood, Media & Communications Officer simon.barwood@winchester-cathedral.org.uk

RHS HAMPTON COURT PALACE FLOWER SHOW 2018

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