The traditional harvest celebrations at Winchester Cathedral returned this year over the weekend with a new feel and some new partners.

As well as the traditional stalls from agricultural representatives from around the region, the newly styled Green Hampshire Harvest Weekend invited visitors to reflect upon the impact of climate change, how it is affecting us daily and what we are doing within the local community to address it.

It comes at the end of Winchester Green Week, a series of events around the district designed to increase awareness locally.

New for this year was the Big Top marquee, sponsored by Winchester University. The marquee hosted talks and displays from Winchester University, Sparsholt College, WinACC (Winchester Action on Climate Change), Winchester Green Week and many others.

Bees are a key focus of the whole event and a giant bee made by students at Winchester School of Art to was placed on the front of the Cathedral.

The Festival featured lots of independent producers and members of Hampshire Fare, and provides an insight into one of the most important aspects of the county’s economy. A wide range of displays and activities were enjoyed by people of all ages.

There were rides on a horse drawn carriage or the chance to clamber onto vintage farm machinery.

The crowds enjoyed a falconry display, discovered about bee-keeping and listened to the fairground organs. As well as the agricultural stalls, there will be a variety of foods on offer celebrating Hampshire fare, as well as a vintage food van offering locally sourced food and drink.

The weekend is supported by a number of partners, notably the university, NFU, Country Landowners’ Association, Sparsholt College, WinACC,Winchester College of Art, Winchester Green Week and Hampshire Fare. “We are delighted to be working again with the agricultural community of the county,” says the Very Revd Catherine Ogle, Dean of the Winchester. “Harvest Festival is an ancient tradition in the church that is completely contemporary celebrating agricultural and farming life and food-production in our county today. We want to thank God and celebrate the harvest and also raise awareness of what is sustainable and just.”

In the morning of Saturday 5th, under the giant bee, the Cathedral will be presented with an EcoChurch Silver Award by the Rev Rosie Ward, from A Rocha, recognising the steps that it is taking to encourage an environmentally friendly approach in its ministry and operations.