The poignant messages of remembrance and thanks posted over the summer in our Garden of Hope at St Mary’s Church on Quarry Street have a new home.  They have been donated to Guildford Museum to form part of the museum’s collection for capturing memories of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. 

 

Noelle Coe, Guildford Town Centre Chaplain says: 

 

“This venture was a fantastic team effort and it’s rewarding to see that so many people took the opportunity to visit over the summer and leave personal messages.” 

 

Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Marsha Moseley adds: 

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in this great community project. It will be comforting for those who have left messages of remembrance to know that their messages have a new home at the museum.” 

 

The Garden of Hope was opened in June by Guildford Town Centre Chaplain, Noelle Coe and Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Marsha Moseley.  It provided an accessible community space just off the High Street for residents to reflect on the past year and share messages of remembrance, hope and thanks over the summer. Featuring several seasonal planters where visitors could leave messages on wooden plant markers, the project was supported by Guildford churches, Guildford in Bloom, Experience Guildford and Guildford Borough Council. 

 

The messages now join photographs, diaries and objects such as a Covid-19 lateral flow test and Silent Pool hand sanitizer in our museum’s Coronavirus (Covid-19) collection. They are being collected so future generations will understand how our lives changed in 2020.