I met Father Richard in town this morning, walking his two standard poodles. He's very excited about a project that will be happening later this year, and said that he had been mentioned in an article in the Daily Telegraph (I couldn't find it - but others may have better Google-fu).
On 15th August, the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady (celebrating the taking up to Heaven of the Virgin Mary at the time of her death), canoes will set off on a five day journey down the River Wye, taking a statue of the Virgin Mary with them. Where they stop along the route, there will be choirs, and parties, and all the churches along the route have agreed to ring the church bells as the statue floats by.
When they approached Hereford Cathedral to ask them to ring the bells, they offered something even better - so there will be a procession from the river carrying the statue to the West End of the cathedral, and the statue will then be installed on the high altar for Choral Evensong, where it will stay overnight.
The purpose of the journey is to raise money to clean up the River Wye, as well as raising awareness.
Father Richard hopes it can bring people together, whether they have a Christian faith or not.
Updated to add: A kind friend brought me a clipping of the article in the Telegraph! It appeared on Tuesday 3rd May, and is entitled "Friends of the UK's filthy rivers are left praying for a miracle".
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