On Saturday 5 April we are holding a reunion to mark 50 years since our first pilgrimage (31 Mar – 13 Apr 1975). All current and past pilgrims are invited to join us for lunch and reminiscences, together with a service of thanksgiving and prayers for deceased pilgrims. For those who wish to join, there will be a morning walk. Limited overnight “floor and breakfast” will be available the nights before and after the reunion. If you can’t make it, comment on this post to share a memory.
Venue
The reunion will be based at the St Philip Howard Centre, Southgate Drive, Crawley, RH10 6RP (formerly DABCEC). There is plentiful parking, and it’s on several bus routes (Southgate Avenue stops)
Walk
The morning walk will take us from Horsham Station to the Centre – we will leave the St Philip Howard Centre at 08:30 and walk to Crawley Station to catch to 08:57 train to Horsham, arriving 09:10. Pilgrims could optionally meet us at either station. If you can, please buy your ticket in advance to avoid delays!
Lunch
A buffet lunch will be served when the walking group has returned to the centre. Please ensure you advise us of any dietary requirements.
Schedule
| Friday 4 April | 19:00 onwards | Arrivals No food provided, but option to bring your own. |
| Saturday 5 April | 07:00 | Breakfast |
| 08:30 | Depart for station | |
| 08:57 | Train to Horsham | |
| 09:10 | Start walk at Horsham | |
| 11:00-11:30 | Colgate, Prayers | |
| 13:00 | Return, St Philip Howard Centre | |
| 13:30 | Lunch | |
| 18:00 | Close | |
| Evening | Overnighters take away / pub dinner (not included) | |
| Sunday 6 April | 09:00 | Depart |
Cost
£10 for the lunch, £5 for each breakfast, or any donation you wish to add. Any surplus from the reunion will be donated to charity. Pay on the day. Please book in advance and let us know if plans change, so that we can avoid waste.
Booking is Essential
To book, please email reunion50@thepilgrims.org.uk specifying:
- Name
- Contact Details (email, phone)
- Friday overnight Y/N
- Saturday walk Y/N
- Saturday lunch Y/N
- Any dietary requirements
- Saturday overnight Y/N
Can’t make it?
If you are unable to join us, but wish to share a memory or a prayer intention, please leave a comment on this post and we’ll include you on the day.
Sending love and blessings to all Pilgrims past present and to come, in memory of all who I have been privileged to walk with during my two full A and B Pilgrimages. Intending to walk with you this special year which marks your 50th and my 70th birthday.
What a pity. I do have the time to come over, but put a(nother) course in my diary.
I wish all the pilgrims a happy reunion. Hope to join again in August.
All the best
Tineke
So sorry to miss this – will be out of the country until 8th – but I hope you all have a great time, and I send my best wishes to all, especially anyone who was on the 81 Sussex or 82 Buckfast 2 pilgrimages and remembers me. Anyone who DOES remember me may be interested to know that I am still good friends with Flo Churchill after all these years!
Susan McCabe (Martin) went on the 1975 “Beating the Bounds” pilgrimage. Sadly, advanced Alzheimer’s means that she won’t be able to share her memories or come to the reunion. We met during registration on the Papal Pilgrimage at Arundel in 1982 and married in 1984. I look forward to joining the reunion for the day. It’s exactly a week before I am organising a big exhibition “Around the World in 80 Miniature Models” in Sway Village Hall SO41 6BB April 12th 2025 11AM – 4PM which Susan will be attending. Pilgrims welcome! This unmissable exhibition will be raising funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK https://www.justgiving.com/page/modelswithsusan
So sorry to hear about Susan’s condition. I enjoyed her company on our first two or three walks. Hope to meet you at the reunion.
Happy 50th Birthday, pilgrims. So sorry I can’t be with you. My first pilgrimage in 1984 at the tender age of 16 was transformative, I met so many wonderful people and that is something I am forever grateful for.
I hope that you will be able to attract the younger generation again going forward so that A&B Walking Pilgrimage can thrive for many years to come.
Love and prayers to you all
Unfortunately I can’t join everyone on the Reunion as the school holidays in Scotland and Bristol are early this year and my family are visiting in numbers!
I ( was Jean Nicholls) will be out of the country celebrating my 61st birthday – how did this happen? I keep in regular contact with Tom and hope to be seeing him sometime soon. Incidentally also celebrating my 22nd wedding anniversary with Con Churchill who incidentally went to Philip Howard!
I live over in Ireland now , way out west on the Mizen peninsula. I’ve fond memories of the pilgrimages and not such fond memories of blisters!
Anyone else remember our boots getting stolen in Glastonbury?
I have nothing to do with organised religion anymore but have very fond memories of the friendships made on Glastonbury 1 and 2, Canterbury,Buck fast and St Wifrids.
If anyone remembers me please get in touch.
Liz
Greetings to our A&B pilgrim family, and congratulations to all past, present and future pilgrims on fifty years of shared journeys. Sadly, Lesley and I can’t join you for the reunion, but we remember with great pleasure our adventures on various pilgrimages from Walsingham 2 (1987) to St Davids (1992).
Love and prayers, from Thomas & Lesley Yeung
“There’s no discouragement shall make us once relent
our first avowed intent to be a pilgrim! “