Renowned author, Sir Michael Morpurgo, returns to Exeter Cathedral
The pews of Exeter Cathedral are set to be filled on Tuesday as an audience welcomes War Horse author, Sir Michael Morpurgo OBE, for an evening of poetry and music – all inspired by the British countryside.
Taking place in the cathedral’s nave, the event will feature readings of nature-themed poems, performed by Clare and Michael Morpurgo alongside Carol Hughes, widow of the poet Ted Hughes.
The evening will also be an opportunity to hear excerpts from Morpurgo’s acclaimed book My Heart Was a Tree – and the Ted Hughes poem that inspired its’ title.
Sir Michael Morpurgo has written more than 150 books and was knighted for his contributions to literature and charity.
The readings will be complemented by the music of Vivaldi, Vaughan Williams, Haydn, and Max Richter. They’ll be performed by the Iddesleigh String Quartet.
The evening marks the 50th anniversary of the charity ‘Farms for City Children’ which was founded by Sir Michael and Lady Morpurgo in 1976. The special event is being sponsored by Rathbones.
For 50 years, the charity has provided children and young people with the life-changing opportunity to live, learn and thrive on their farms across Devon, Gloucestershire and Pembrokeshire.
Farms for City Children aims to give young people an opportunity to experience the benefits of being a farmer for a week, regardless of financial circumstances.
All proceeds from this event will be shared between the Exeter Cathedral Development Appeal and Farms for City Children.
‘We hope very much you enjoy our music and poetry’
‘How wonderful to be able to perform our concert of My Heart was a Tree, in glorious Exeter Cathedral,’ explain Clare and Michael Morpurgo.
‘And for the benefit of the Cathedral and Farms for City Children, which celebrates this month 50 years since its founding, since the first city children came walking up the lane in their wellies.’
‘They explain it’s an exciting opportunity to return to the cathedral and celebrate the well-loved charity as well as the beauty of the natural world. Our three readers all have close associations with the charity.’
‘Carol Hughes is a great supporter, and widow of Ted Hughes our first President, and Clare Morpurgo founded the charity with Michael all those years ago.’
‘Since then over 100,000 children from our towns and cities have now benefited from their week living and working down on one of the charity’s three farms, in Devon, Pembrokeshire and Gloucestershire.’
‘The Iddesleigh Quartet was founded three years ago, in the village of Idddesleigh, the home of the first Farm for City Children, with musicians from some of the finest orchestras in the land.’
‘We are enormously grateful to the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral, and indeed the Exeter Cathedral School for all they have done to support Farms for City Children.’
‘We hope very much you enjoy our music and poetry, and we give you our thanks for coming and supporting us in this way.’
My Heart Was a Tree
‘I’m counting down the days to this event, which I know will be fantastic,’ says The Very Rev’d Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter.
‘Michael’s reading of his book ‘War Horse’ here in the cathedral was certainly one of the most memorable and moving evenings of my time here in Exeter, and I have every reason to believe this performance will be just as special.’
‘Having completed phase one of our Development Project, this evening will help raise funds for the next phase of our exciting project, which aims to make sure Exeter Cathedral is here for generations to come and welcoming to all.’
My Heart Was a Tree will be the second event hosted by Michael Morpurgo at the cathedral – following a special reading of his popular novel War Horse in 2024.
The event is taking place on Tuesday 27th January from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets for My Heart Was a Tree with Michael & Clare Morpurgo, Carol Hughes and the Iddesleigh String Quartet’ start from £15 for adults and £5 for children and can be purchased from Exeter Cathedral.
Breaktime News recently reported on Exeter Cathedral hosting Luxmuralis’ The Storytellers.
