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50-Year Reunion – Live!

Our reunion to celebrate 50 years of pilgrimages is underway. You can follow us in our usual diary at www.thepilgrims.org.uk/2025/reunion50.php

The slides shared at the reunion appear below. Enjoy!

  • Ecumenical Walking Pilgrimage - 50 Years
  • 1975 Holy Year Pilgrimage
  • 1975 Leaving Arundel
  • 1975 Ash in the rain
  • 1975 Arundel Park with Bishop Michael
  • 1976 Pilgrims Way Pilgrimage
  • 1976 Leaving Arundel
  • 1976 Lunch at Slindon
  • 1976 Mass at Winchester Cathedral
  • 1976 Sleeping outside in Winchester
  • 1976 An early sing-song
  • 1976 The St Francis Ramblers
  • 1976 Crossing the Medway in a pinnace
  • 1976 Approaching Canterbury Cathedral

2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope – Join Us, and Spread the Word

Bookings have recently opened for our 2025 Walking Pilgrimage, the Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope, taking place from 9th to 24th August 2025. Join us in celebrating 50 years of walking pilgrimages, 60 years of the Arundel & Brighton Diocese, and the Holy Year proclaimed by Pope Francis. Crossing varied terrain across Surrey and Sussex, the route visits every Deanery in the Diocese, together with churches of many denominations that we pass on the way. The pilgrimage is open to all – we already welcome pilgrims of many faiths and from around the world. You can join for a day (or less), a few days, or the whole 2 weeks. Organised entirely by volunteers, our pilgrimages are very affordable.

Our 2025 publicity material is now available to download – please share and/or print and display, and encourage your friends to consider joining us.

Poster

Poster (inkjet friendly)

Social Media Tile

More details of what’s involved can be found on our booking system.

Diaries of our past pilgrimages, which give a good idea of just how enjoyable and fulfilling the pilgrimages are, can be found here.

If you still have questions, contact us (details on the booking system) and we’ll do our best to help.

50 years ago today…

On 31 March, Easter Monday 1975, 25 intrepid pilgrims set out from Arundel Cathedral to “beat the bounds” of the Arundel & Brighton Diocese, marking the 1975 Holy Year and the 10th Anniversary of the creation of the Diocese. Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into!

Taking place after an early Easter rather than in August as in later years, we encountered quite a lot of weather. There was snow lying on the South Downs on the first day; heavy rain most of day 3 as we traipsed across Ash Ranges; a blizzard in far East Sussex as we approached Rye. It was weather we were ill equipped for, but it didn’t dampen our spirits.

As we followed the coast West from Rye towards Brighton we started doing “Ring-a-Ring-o-Roses” at each pier we passed. I suspect this started as an attempt to keep warm as we waited for the pilgrims to regroup, but it became part of our identity. On the final day back into Arundel, Bishop Michael Bowen and his dog Jamie walked with us. As we came through Arundel Park approaching our destination, holding hands in a line across the valley, we stopped for one more “Ring-a-Ring-o-Roses”. Most of the pilgrims were still at school, a few of university age, a few older. We were delighted to see that even Bishops “all fall down”.

And that was the start of a 50-year journey, still continuing. For the many youngsters involved in those early years it was a cheap, fun holiday but also a relaxed encounter with their faith. Over the decades our demographic has evolved, but that core quality has remained. It is a religious activity, a pilgrimage, but not only for the converted. So many people, at different stages of their faith journey or even on different paths altogether, have walked with us, brought blessings to us, and been blessed by us. We often encounter pilgrims-of-old who no longer walk with us, but they always remember the pilgrimage fondly: everyone has some recollection of their time “following the orange arrows”.

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From the very start we stopped at churches of all denominations on the pilgrimage, and welcomed pilgrims whatever their background (2 girls from the Baptist Church walked that first pilgrimage). In 1981 we joined forces with Churches Together in Sussex to celebrate St Wilfrid, Apostle of Sussex, and the pilgrimage became officially ecumenical. The manifestation of ecumenism has also evolved over the years, but it’s core to our identify, even in a year when we’re celebrating our roots on Arundel & Brighton Diocese.

The years have taken us to so many places – grand cathedrals, humble chapels, urban landscapes and all kinds of countryside. Not to mention the pubs! With our visit to Rutland in 2024 we have probably visited every (traditional) English county, and many in Wales. We’ve enjoyed great hospitality, overcome some huge challenges and a couple of tragedies. We’ve become a community on the move – both literally and evolving as things change around us. But we are all pilgrims at heart, ready to stand up and sing “He who would valiant be” at the drop of a hat and to follow the orange arrows that will lead us home.

We have so much to be thankful for: the “founding Fathers” Bill Haynes, Bob Garrard and Hans Burgman; those who took up the baton when Bill needed to take a back seat; pioneers and leaders including Alan Fox, Patrick Reeve and Peter Doran (and all those who’ve taken on the Coordinator’s role); all those who worked on the support team shifting our kit, keeping us fed, watered and safe, finding accommodation and routes; the locals who have opened churches, led us in prayer, provided refreshments; and EVERY SINGLE PILGRIM who has brought their own contribution to the pilgrimage.

50 years on, we thank God for the blessings we have received and pray for the success of our 2025 pilgrimage and those to follow.

To find out more about our 2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope, visit https://thepilgrims.org.uk/book/

For more general information and diaries of our past pilgrimages, visit https://thepilgrims.org.uk/wp/

Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope 2025: Bookings Open

Surrey Hills and Sussex by the Sea

Bookings are now open for the Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope in August 2025. Celebrating 50 years of our walking pilgrimages, 60 years of the Arundel & Brighton Diocese, and the Holy Year, this pilgrimage will visit all of the deaneries of the Diocese, whilst continuing our ecumenical tradition by stopping at churches of many denominations along the way.

All are welcome to join the pilgrimage and experience walking as part of our travelling Christian community, whether for a fortnight or just an afternoon!  The cost is £350 to walk with us all the way, or £33 per night to book a shorter spell (£31 per night for 7 days or more, 25% discount for under 21s).  “Day Pilgrims” pay just £5.

The route covers varied terrain, including the Surrey Hills, the South Downs, and the Sussex Coast. These are our stopping points – further details are available in the booking system.

  • Horley (Crawley Deanery)
  • Reigate (Redhill Deanery)
  • Ashtead (Epsom Deanery)
  • Weybridge (Weybridge Deanery)
  • Frimley (Woking Deanery)
  • Farnham (Guildford Deanery)
  • Haslemere (Guildford Deanery)
  • Midhurst (Cathedral Deanery)
  • Tangmere (Cathedral Deanery)
  • Goring-by-Sea (Worthing Deanery)
  • Brighton (Brighton Deanery)
  • Seaford (Lewes Deanery)
  • Eastbourne (Eastbourne & St Leonards Deanery)

Modern health and safety considerations mean we cannot squeeze as many people into church / village halls as we used to, which makes it a bit more comfortable than previously but means that numbers may have to be limited. Therefore I would urge early booking to avoid disappointment.

This year we are hoping that parishioners of the deaneries we are passing through will come and join us for some or all of a day. In order to manage numbers we are asking day pilgrims to pre-book this year. This ensures everyone is covered by the Diocesan insurance and we can do appropriate risk assessments.

If you have questions, please address them to our bookings secretary Clare (contact details on the booking page). If you’ve not been before, Clare notes that it is often easier to chat on the phone than exchange emails. If you are thinking of coming for the first time, look at our diaries from previous years which give a good flavour of what goes on, and read the information on the booking page. Oh, “read the information on the booking page” applies to old hands too!

To read more and to make your booking, please visit https://thepilgrims.org.uk/book/

Howard Buxton, RIP

We heard from Howard’s wife Alison that Howard passed away peacefully on Wednesday 19th March 2025 with the family
around him. Howard had been unwell for some time, but kept in touch with several pilgrims.

I think Howard may have been the first pilgrim to join us having found our website, which we started in 2000. Howard was all set to come and walk with us in 2001, and was a bit put out when we had to cancel that year because of the Foot and Mouth outbreak. But he did join us the following year and was a regular pilgrim over the next 20 or so years. Given the distance from NZ to UK, that probably means Howard travelled more miles over the years to join the pilgrimage that anyone else has or ever will.

It didn’t take Howard long to find out how the pilgrimage works!

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Howard – working as usual, 2002

Howard, leading a reflection in 2003

Or standing in as an arrow…

Howard with Bernie, a year later, same t-shirt!

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In 2005, Howard had had enough and collapsed in someone’s front garden outside Caterham!

Approaching Winchester in 2005, with Rev Chris at a kissing gate, the self-styled “Kissing Fr Christmases”

2006, as van-packer-in-chief

And so we might go on… when I have time to trawl through more of the archives.

We send our prayers and condolences to Alison. May Howard rest in peace.

A memorial gathering will be held 11am 12th April 2025 at RSA Birkenhead, Recreation Drive, Birkenhead, Auckland, NZ.

Cath Grafen, RIP

We’ve learnt of the death on 28 February of Cath Grafen, who walked with us between 1979 and 1981 then 1996 to 2002. In 2000 or 2002 Cath and the late Pat Heffernan earned the nickname the “wrinkly rockets” for their pace, especially in the afternoons.

From 1979 Canterbury 2 Pilgrimage

From 2000 St Chad’s Pilgrimage:

In our 2000 diary I found “Cath Grafen gave a wonderful reflection on her involvement with the pilgrimage, starting as the parent of a pilgrim in 1976, with lots of different experiences on the way, and the love and support of all the pilgrims. We concluded with a chorus of Bind Us Together.”

From 2002 Ss Chad & Cedd Pilgrimage

According to the church website, Cath’s funeral will be held at noon on Friday 28th March 2025 at Sacred Heart, Hove.

We send our prayers and condolences to Cath’s family. May she rest in peace.

50-Year Reunion, 5 April 2025

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 April19:00 onwardsArrivals No food provided, but option to bring your own.
Saturday 5 April07:00Breakfast
 08:30Depart for station
 08:57Train to Horsham
 09:10Start walk at Horsham
 11:00-11:30Colgate, Prayers
 13:00Return, St Philip Howard Centre
 13:30Lunch
 18:00Close
 EveningOvernighters take away / pub dinner (not included)
Sunday 6 April09:00Depart

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.

Celebrating 50 years of Pilgrimage

Yes, it really is 50 years…

50 years ago a group of priests, looking to find a way for young people to celebrate the Holy Year of 1975 and the 10th anniversary of Arundel & Brighton Diocese, planned a walking pilgrimage “beating the bounds” of the Diocese. This became an annual event, the pilgrimage we know and love, going to diverse destinations across England and Wales, becoming Ecumenical, and with an evolving demographic. Over the years this institution has meant so much to the regulars, the “one-off” pilgrims, and people we’ve encountered on the way.

So 2025 will be a year of celebration for us, and we’d love to see old and new pilgrims at two events we are planning. So please SAVE THE DATES!

50-year Reunion in Crawley, 4-6 April 2025

Unlike its successors, the first pilgrimage took place after Easter (31st March – 13th April 1975) so we like to organise an “April Reunion” to mark the major anniversaries.

Whilst the exact schedule is yet to be worked out, the main activities will be on Saturday 5th April, probably involving a short morning walk, a pub lunch, and a social afternoon tea back at the venue, where non-walkers can join us and we can share reminiscences. We’ll have some form of thanksgiving service and remember deceased pilgrims.

Overnight pilgrim-style accommodation will be available for Friday and Saturday nights.

Please spread the word to any past pilgrims you know who might not otherwise hear about the reunion.

Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope, 9-24 August 2025

As the distances involved in beating the bounds of the Diocese (even cutting more corners than we did in 1975) are beyond our regular mileages, after some thought we have derived a route that visits each of the 11 Deaneries (future “new parishes”) in the Arundel & Brighton Diocese:

  • Horley (Crawley Deanery)
  • Reigate (Redhill Deanery)
  • Epsom (Epsom Deanery)
  • Weybridge (Weybridge Deanery)
  • Frimley (Woking Deanery)
  • Farnham (Guildford Deanery)
  • Haslemere (Guildford Deanery)
  • Midhurst (Cathedral Deanery)
  • Tangmere (Cathedral Deanery)
  • Goring-by-Sea (Worthing Deanery)
  • Brighton (Brighton Deanery)
  • Seaford (Lewes Deanery)
  • Eastbourne (Eastbourne & St Leonards Deanery)

Note that some accommodation is not yet confirmed, so locations may change a little.

Whilst maintaining our strong ecumenical commitment and visiting churches of all denominations along our route, we hope to inspire people from the deaneries we walk through to join us as day pilgrims. We also hope that “past pilgrims” will join or meet us along the way; and of course new pilgrims are always welcome, whatever your location, background or creed!

Bookings for this pilgrimage will open in February, once the accommodation is finalised. To make sure you hear first, subscribe to updates on our website (https://thepilgrims.org.uk/ via the “Subscribe to Blog via Email” panel)

Our plans for 2025

Having reviewed the successful conclusion of the Heart of England pilgrimage in August, September’s AGM looked forward to our plans for 2025, the 50th anniversary of the first Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Walking Pilgrimage.

Summer Pilgrimage

Our original aspiration had been to repeat 1975’s “beating the bounds” but that proved too long and after a series of iterations we adopted a proposal for a route which visits each of the Moderated Parishes in the A&B diocese. This proved something of a mathematical optimisation challenge, getting to all 11 parishes with our regular constraints of time and distance, but we have a viable route, one which includes a number of places never or rarely visited before by the pilgrims.

Our vision for 2025 is that people from the local communities will join us as day pilgrims in their own areas, for as far as they wish or feel able.

Although the route is based around our Catholic diocese, we have not forgotten our ecumenical credentials and, as we always do, we will be involving and visiting church communities of all denominations as we progress through Surrey and Sussex.

The proposed route (subject to finding suitable accommodation) is shown in the table below. Moderated parish names are shown in square brackets (see https://www.abdiocese.org.uk/diocese/pastoral-plan)

DateFromTo
Sat 9 Aug 25Horley [Crawley]Reigate
Sun 10 Aug 25Reigate [Redhill]Epsom
Mon 11 Aug 25Epsom [Epsom]Weybridge
Tue 12 Aug 25Weybridge [Weybridge]Frimley
Wed 13 Aug 25Frimley [Woking]Farnham
Thu 14 Aug 25Rest DayFarnham
Fri 15 Aug 25Farnham [Guildford]Haslemere
Sat 16 Aug 25Haslemere [Guildford]Petworth
Sun 17 Aug 25Petworth [Cathedral]Arundel
Mon 18 Aug 25Arundel [Cathedral]Worthing
Tue 19 Aug 25Rest DayWorthing
Wed 20 Aug 25Worthing [Worthing]Brighton
Thu 21 Aug 25Brighton [Brighton & Hove]Seaford
Fri 22 Aug 25Seaford [Lewes]Eastbourne
Sat 23 Aug 25Celebration DayEastbourne
Sun 24 Aug 25Eastbourne [Eastbourne & St Leonards]Home
Proposed 2025 Pilgrimage Route

Any plan is a compromise, and we can’t visit every corner of the Diocese; the proposed route is half in Surrey and half in Sussex and includes the far north of the Diocese where we’ve rarely ventured before.

April Reunion

We also decided that there should be an extraordinary reunion (on a date around 31st March, the 50th anniversary of the start of our first pilgrimage). Just a placeholder at present – anyone who could host such a reunion please make contact!