ST Laurence’s Church in Stroud will play host to an array of events this Saturday to welcome the start of Spring.

Open Heart falls in line with several landmark religious calendar dates, the coming of the birth of Jesus, Vernal Equinox and the Hindu festival of Ramayana based around the epic poem.

The Open Heart Festival is one of several festivals which will use the town centre church as a venue this year, as people in Stroud get behind the St Laurence: The Future appeal.

This aims to save the historic building and open it up for community events, conferences, visual art exhibitions and music concerts.

The Reverend Simon Howell Pioneer Minister for the Stroud Team Ministry said: “There is a kind of spirituality in Stroud which leads on a core belief that the earth is sacred and is currently being desecrated by humans.”

People of all ages are welcome to attend the free festival, experience the positive atmosphere, and share in its message of hope.

The focus of Open Heart is: 'finding the still point, the place of balance, in an unstable world'.

Activities begin at 4pm with refreshments and healthy snacks to buy, a series of workshops from 4.30pm, a guided meditation with Girish Patel at 5.30pm.

He said Girish said: “Sharing this together I believe helps us to connect where it really matters, in the heart.”

This will be followed by storytelling at 6pm, falafels, samosas, cakes and drinks to buy at 6.30pm, and a concert from 7pm to 10pm including music by the Raga Babas, the Sacred Music Festival Gospel Choir, and many more.

The St Laurence: The Future website has been updated with more information about the £1.6m appeal to save the parish church building, including feedback from a public survey, and upcoming events, including the Open Heart Festival.

For more information please contact Rev Simon Howell on 01453 350387 or visit www.stlaurencefuture.org.uk