A GARDEN swing has been installed in Leicester Cathedral to have a good time the importance of play for well-being.
The swing, set in a paper garden of oversized flowers, fruits, foliage, and wildlife, is an interactive artwork by Mandeep Dhadialla, Plants and Play.
A cathedral spokesperson said that the aim was to encourage visitors “to rediscover the ability of play to uplift spirits and spark conversations about caring for the environment. Dhadialla’s work seamlessly blends art and nature, reminding us of the great thing about the world and the importance of cherishing it.”
Ms Dhadialla, a Kenyan-born British-Indian artist and printmaker, who lives in Leicester, told the BBC on Saturday: “We forget to play once we’re growing up. There’s a lot of life happening that we forget, and it’s nice to be reminded as adults and to see children having a swing as well, to sort of foster all of that and remind ourselves and reconnect.”
The Dean of Leicester, the Very Revd Karen Rooms, said: “We are a cathedral for everybody. We actually need this constructing to be available to everyone in the town and county, to feel that that is space that folks can come and be in, that they will discover a sense of calm and peace. We want people to wish and connect with God, but we also want people to enjoy their visit.”
A series of related events is running throughout October, including a free open play session for babies and kids as much as eight years old, a screening of the film The Secret Garden, and free family craft activities in the course of the Leicester half-term break.
Entry is free from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. each day (although the installation could also be inaccessible during services or recitals). The installation stays in place until Thursday 31 October.
