ON April 19, staff and volunteers of Hereford Cathedral welcomed Lord Ashton of Hyde, the parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, as part of a ministerial visit to the city.

Lord Ashton, who has the responsibility for coordinating the national First World War commemorations, visited the cathedral to see the Poppies: Weeping Window sculpture. During his visit, he had the opportunity to meet volunteers and staff involved in the project, including those who have been involved in the wider First World War commemoration events.

Whilst at the cathedral, he looked at aspects of restoration work including a number of roofs repaired with funding from the Government’s First World War Cathedrals Repair Fund. He also had the opportunity to view Ascension, the SAS Memorial, visited the bell ringing chamber to try ringing as well as visiting the Mappa Mundi, an item on the UNCESCO Memory of the World Register

Glyn Morgan, chapter clerk and chief executive of Hereford Cathedral, said: ‘It was a pleasure to welcome Lord Ashton to the cathedral as we near the end of Weeping Window’s time with us. We were also delighted to be able to show Lord Ashton some of the work that the Government has helped fund as part of the First World War Cathedral Repair Fund, which honoured the role that cathedrals played in supporting their communities at that time and since, not least with the number of commemorative events hosted over the past four years. The repair of the roofs, which is a vast job, has been essential in keeping the building watertight and secure, allowing the many treasures it contains to be protected for future generations.’

The Poppies: Weeping Window display continues until Sunday, April 29, when it concludes with a service commemorating the centenary of the RAF. The service is at 3.30pm (seated by 3.10pm) and will conclude with a March Past and reception, to which all are welcome.