Update: Just heard from Terri that Gillian’s funeral will be at 11am on Tuesday 26 November 2019 at Our Lady of Fatima, Commonwealth Avenue, White City W12 7QR followed by cremation at Mortlake Crematorium and a reception in the parish centre at White City.

We have learnt today of the death, last Sunday, of Gillian McLauchlan. Gillian, together with her twin sister Monica and mum Helena,put in a brief appearance on the very first pilgrimage in 1975. Gillian and Monica walked many of the early pilgrimages, and co-opted sister Theresa to join the support team in the late 70s and early 80s.

Gillian was one of the fast walkers of those early years, and she and I often walked stride-for-stride.

Eventually work got in the way of being a regular pilgrim, but Gillian always kept in touch and often turned up to call on the pilgrims when it was convenient. Looking back through my photos, in 2011 she was there at the start in Westminster and joined again (with Monica, driven by John Russell) at Birmingham.

Having lost her twin sister to breast cancer, Gillian was diagnosed a few years ago with bowel cancer. She was pretty upbeat – last July she texted me to say “Chemo not working so tablets stopped. Liver function worse. Got to get on and enjoy slow but active life for as long as possible”. And in late August she told me she was off to Lourdes. She’d always been a great supporter of Handicapped Childrens Pilgrimage Trust (HCPT) as in this picture from 1981.

May she rest in peace.

It’s reunion weekend! Hope to see lots of you in Dorking and the Surrey Hills. If you’re coming, please post some pictures (usual methods – if you can’t remember ask John or Aidan). If you’re not coming you can follow us on the diary at http://www.thepilgrims.org.uk/2019/reunion.php. If you’ve not booked but want to join for the walk tomorrow, please let Louise know (as per the invitation).

Travel safely.

Sheila, mother of pilgrims Claire Parsons, Margaret King and Brother Anthony Brockman of Worth Abbey, passed away on 26 July 2019. May she rest in peace.

Bookings are now open for our 2019 Pilgrimage! Here are the poster and the application form.

Poster

Application Form

Plans for this summer’s pilgrimage are well advanced.

Here’s a taster, in the form of this year’s poster…

https://thepilgrims.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Pilgrimage-Poster-2019.pdf

Saturday 10th – Sunday 25th August 2019

It was agreed at the recent AGM that our Pilgrimage for 2019 will start at Lincoln Cathedral with our final destination being St Hilda’s Abbey, Whitby in North Yorkshire. It is envisaged that the route will include Hull, Beverley Minster, and Bridlington Priory.

Committee Members are now working on the route and booking accommodation. A list of daily destinations will be available at the forthcoming Reunion Weekend on the 26th October and will be posted on the website. Further updates and a short history of St Hilda will be posted shortly.

Talking of the reunion, don’t forget to book! I will add the booking form to the reunion link as soon as possible

I hope everyone got back safely from Buckfast and all have recovered from the walking. “Strenuous” was one description of this year’s route; strenuous yes, climbing on to the army ranges from the shore on Mark and Danny’s day, and negotiating the ups and downs and steps of Goat Island come to mind, but magnificent as well. The sound of the sea in the secluded bays, Durdle Door, and crossing the Exe estuary on the ferry. The strange sensation of walking among streets with traffic in Ashburton after so long being on paths where cars can not follow.

This Sunday 16^th September our AGM takes place at St Joseph’s, Ladbroke Road, Redhill at 3.00 pm until 6.00 pm.We will be reviewing this year’s pilgrimage and discussing our plans for next year. All pilgrims are welcome to attend the AGM and contribute to the discussion.

Francis
Coordinator

For those who’ve missed the update I posted against the original post on the website…

Gill’s funeral will be held at St Peter’s Church, Portland Road, Hove at 12 noon on Thursday 13th September, followed by burial at the cemetery in Old Shoreham Road, Hove. Father Jerry will officiate.

After the burial, Gill’s daughter Caroline is arranging some refreshments at her house, so people are welcome to come back afterwards. I won’t post the address online for obvious reasons, but can provide it  on request.

This morning we have received the sad news that Gill Henderson, one of our oldest pilgrims, died at 19:30 yesterday. Gill and her husband Derek first walked with us in the mid 2000s, and after Derek’s death Gill continued to join us each year.

Gill was an inspiration to us all. I remember a prayer stop several years ago where she gave a moving reflection, talking about life in Italy at the end of WWII, when the treatment of supposed collaborators was potentially worse than anything suffered during the war. I’m sure others will have their own memories to share.

May she rest in peace, and our condolences to her family.

Update:

Gill’s funeral will be held at St Peter’s Church, Portland Road, Hove at 12 noon on Thursday 13th September, followed by burial at the cemetery in Old Shoreham Road, Hove. Father Jerry will officiate.