THE Coat of Hopes - an extraordinary patchwork reflecting people’s grief, remembrance, prayers and hopes for the place where they live, in the face of the climate crisis - is heading to Bradford.
The coat, made up of more than 600 blanket patches, will be at Bradford Cathedral as part of its ‘perpetual pilgrimage’ - it has so far travelled more than 1,500km.
It will arrive at the Cathedral tonight, at the start of the Tree of Life concert, and will be on display for three weeks. The Coat will also be taken to local schools and community groups.
The Coat of Hopes is a patchwork pilgrim coat, on an ongoing walk through Britain. It has been made, worn and walked by hundreds of people since the pilgrimage started, from the south coast to the gates of COP 26, the UN climate summit, in Glasgow in 2021. Since its initial nine-week pilgrimage, ending at the coming together of world leaders at the summit, the Coat has travelled across Scotland and back to England, most recently to York.
There will be information boards about the Coat at the Cathedral, and a video about its journey. On June 29 the Coat of Hope will continue its walk to Haworth Parish Church, and the public are invited to walk with it.
Says artist Barbara Keal, who instigated the Coat: “The Coat’s work through this ongoing pilgrimage is to offer everyone the invitation to stop and, in wearing it, focus on the climate and ecological emergency, and our connection to all those others who face it with us.
“The Coat of Hopes carries forward, in its fabric, stories of people and places encountered on its way. It will be so good to meet, walk, sing and sew with the people of West Yorkshire, and take them with us as we continue on our way - walking towards the end of this emergency.”
The Revd Canon Ned Lunn, Canon for Intercultural Mission and the Arts at Bradford Cathedral, says: “We’re excited to be collaborating with our mission partner, Shine in West Bowling, in welcoming the Coat of Hopes to Bradford. As we look ahead to being the City of Culture next year, we’re planning a whole season of events and exhibitions at the Cathedral that reflect our textile history. The Coat of Hopes is a foretaste of these as well as connecting with one of our passions; care for the environment.
“Come and welcome it to Bradford tonight and stay for a beautiful concert by renowned clarinetist Emma Johnson and the Orchestra of the Environment. Or come and see the Coat in the Cathedral building and stay for a moment of peace and reflection in the natural beauty of our site: a significant green space in our city.”
The Coat is accompanied by its song, declaring its aims, sung each time a new person wears it. More than 900 people wore the Coat on its original journey, and at least as many again have worn it since.
* The Tree of Life concert is at Bradford Cathedral at 7.30pm. Visit tree-of-life-bradford.eventbrite.co.uk
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