Funeral for Nature

Bath should be proud of itself.

I have never seen anything like it.

The city led the way in highlighting just how much damage we are doing to the natural world.

The UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth. According to the organisers of this mass event, "around the world, biodiversity is being annihilated at a terrifying rate..... In spite of promises from governments, biodiversity loss shows no signs of slowing. The future of our planet is at stake".

The mock Funeral for Nature brought out the biggest ever showing of the 'Red Rebels Brigade' activist group ever seen in this country - with many local people dressing in the striking red outfits - scores more were following nature's mock coffin as mourners.

I had to go to Bristol for a friend's birthday but managed to get back in time to see the huge procession heading down Milsom Street, towards Bath Abbey, where environmental activist and tv presenter Chris Packham was going to deliver an eulogy.

The procession was timed to also raise awareness of Earth Day on Monday and included drummers playing a solemn funeral beat.

At the centre of the procession was a funeral bier made of willow. On it lay a sculpted representation of nature by local artist Anna Gillespie. It had been decorated with natural foliage and flowers by landscape gardener Dan Pearson.

I am so grateful for the photographic skills of Richard Lucking in providing most of this visual material.

My only contribution is footage from around the town end of Milsom Street.

Please look through the material, which includes part of Chris Packham's eulogy outside the Abbey. I also managed to grab a comment from the originator of this event, local architect Rob Delius.

I am angry to report that - this Sunday morning - l have only seen regional reports on this from the BBC and ITV - and nothing from Sky News. Have any of the Sunday papers given it a mention?
A full report with many pictures on bathnewseum.com