Dear Friends,

            NEWSLETTER           January 1992

St. David’s - An Overview

Not only is our destination far afield, but for only the second time in our pilgrimage history we will be both starting and finishing our walk outside the diocese.

We’re expecting the nature of our pilgrimage to be different too, not only because we’re venturing over new territory - at least as far as most of us are concerned - but also we want to spend some time exploring areas like the Gower Peninsula and around St David’s (Dewisland). That will probably mean that we’ll spend two or three days around these areas, their churches and shrines as well as country and coast: one or two soon after we set Out and an additional day at our destination - between arrival and celebration - to walk and visit the places associated with St. David in the area.

We must see, too, how we can celebrate along our way two of the chief characteristics of St. David’s fame - his eloquence (the dove usually portrayed on his shoulder is a symbol of this) and his temperance (he was known as ‘The Waterman’!). Other stories about St. David give us connections to earlier pilgrimages - last year’s, since he is said to have founded a church in Glastonbury, and 1986 - his cleansing of the waters of Bath.

If you wanted to join David’s monastic community, it is said that you would first have had to demonstrate your resolve by waiting in silence for ten days outside the gate before being admitted - when the time comes, we will be less rigorous with prospective pilgrims!

A heddiw gellir dysgu neges y sant hwn gan bawb sy’n ymweld a ‘r hen ddinas. (And today the message of this saintly man can still be learned by all who visit the ancient city).

Pilgrim Babies

Leslie and Thomas Yeung are now the proud parents of Rory Cameron Ka Chan Yeung. He was born on 10th August weighing 8lbs and he attended the Banstead reunion.

Charlotte Louise Ellis, daughter of Debbie née Davies alias Duckpond, also attended the Banstead reunion, aged 8 months. Charlotte Louise is also the name of the daughter of Alex Ollivier (St Richard 1 Pilgrimage) now 18 months old. We reported in the last newsletter that Emma Moon (flee Regan - Buckfast 2 & Evesham Pilgrimages) also had a daughter called Charlotte Louise. Any advance on three?

Pamela Kelly (Wessex Pilgrimage) is now Mrs Knight, living in Birmingham and expecting her first child.

Janet Paxton (nee Angel - Canterbury 1 & 2 Pilgrimages) is now living in Canada and has recently given birth to her third child.

Seonaid Joynson (née Susan Grafen - Canterbury 1, Walsingham 1, Glastonbury 1 and Sussex Pilgrimages) now has a daughter, Jasmine, aged 1½. Seonaid is a school nurse and her husband, Vernon, works in local Government.

Her sister, Lucy (Canterbury 1, Walsingham 1 & Glastonbury 1 Pilgrimages), and Keith are also parents to Niamh, aged 8 months. They are living in Newbury, Berkshire, and both are psychiatrists.

Hymn Books

There was a distinct shortage of hymn books after the last pilgrimage, would anyone who happened to put one in their luggage please return them via Monica McLauchlan

Bob Perrott, RIP

Bob Perrott, who walked with us on Buckfast 2, and avoided all the hills, father of Charles Perrott, died suddenly of a heart attack on 22nd November 1991. His funeral mass was at St. Joan’s, Farnham on 2nd December 1991.

Patrick’s Double Glastonbury

In the awards ceremony at Glastonbury, we overlooked the fact that one pilgrim walked the whole of both Glastonbury Pilgrimages, 1978 and 1991. Congratulations Patrick Reeve!