A BEAUTIFUL meadow of more than 7,000 handmade flowers has gone on display St Peter’s Church, Dowland, (EX19 8PD) to help raise awareness of mental wellbeing.

“Meadowland” is a colourful display both inside and outside the church.

The flowers have been individually handmade using a variety of materials, including wool, paper, wood, fabric and metal, by people of all ages in the community.

The installation is raising awareness and fundraising for two mental health charities, MIND and the suicide prevention charity Papyrus.

The natural world is known to have a positive effect on mental wellbeing, and that was the inspiration for St Peter’s Church’s wildflower like display.

The organisers hope that Meadowland can help to remove the stigma that surrounds mental health issues and encourage people to seek help when faced with various challenges.

Inside the church, there is a display which features a willow sculpture of a child, surrounded by 197 flowers.

Each flower represents a young person aged 10-19, who took their own life in 2022 in England and Wales.

The phrase “The seeds of today are the flowers of tomorrow” has inspired the exhibition, as the organisers believe that protection, guidance and kindness shown to the younger generation in an ever changing and challenging world is vital.

St Peter’s Church has also been working to support children and young people in its local community through its “Peter’s Patch” children’s group.

You can find the display at St Peter’s Church, Dowland. It is open on Saturdays and Sundays in July from 10am to 5pm, with free entry and parking, and homemade refreshments.