It’s less than 6 weeks to go to the start of this year’s pilgrimage from Worcester to Peterborough and planning is going well. However we do have an opportunity for somebody to take a free place on the pilgrimage by becoming an additional member of the support team. This would suit a pilgrim who has previously walked with us, is unable to walk this year, and would like nonetheless to be part of our pilgrimage community again by serving in this way.

The role that is available is the one that Tineke has been doing in recent years, that of “quartermaster”. (Tineke is well but feels her fitness level is insufficient to take up the role this year) The role would involve:

• Travelling in the van with the driver John Russell
• On arriving at the hall, picking up the keys from the keyholder, recording the information they provide and passing it on
• Checking the equipment, lights, fire alarms, wifi, recycling, rubbish facilities in the hall
• Putting the non-kitchen hall equipment carried in the van in appropiate places before the walking pilgrims arrive
• Working out how the bed spaces are going to be arranged and reserving spaces for the frontmakers, backmarkers and others who need this service
• Putting up the hall arrows
• Setting up for sandwich making and supervising it
• Making sure volunteers have come forward for all necessary evening and morning tasks, liaising with the coordinator
• Checking the hall after the walking pilgrims have left and returning the keys to the keyholder

It may be possible for the successful candidate to walk some sections of the route. Having somebody to do this role, for the whole 2 weeks or a shorter period, will reduce the load on the other members of the support team and help the pilgrimage run more smoothly. If interested pleace let me know.

John Chenery, coordinator for 2024

Pilgrims from a few year’s back will remember Isaac who walked with us over several years either side of 2010 (and will recall his sparring with Peter Doran). Isaac has sent the following request for support for a charitable venture he is undertaking…

Hello pilgrims past and present, 

This summer, starting from the second weekend of July, I shall be walking the 800km of the Camino de Santiago, starting from Saint-Jean-Pied-du-Port, to raise money for a charity with whom I volunteer in Paris. This organisation, Utopia 56, works to support refugees and other displaced people in France in a political climate that is otherwise indifferent at best and outright hostile at worst– especially as in Paris the forces of the state move with brutal rapidity to ‘clear the city’ in the run up to the Olympic Games. We offer advice on applications for asylum, French lessons, recreational activities and, most importantly, tents and other materials.

These are people who have travelled thousands of miles in perilous conditions, and who are thrown from pillar to post upon arrival in what they believe will be a safe haven. In making a pilgrimage along the Camino, I hope to, at least symbolically and spiritually, walk with those who make much more dangerous and urgent journeys to safety. Any donations would be deeply appreciated, with the proceeds going to support the work that Utopia 56 does. 

You can make a donation at this link here: https://macollecte.utopia56.org/fundraisers/on-the-road-to-santiago

You can find out more information about Utopia 56 here (in English or in French): https://utopia56.org

Thank you very much in advance.

Yours, in pilgrimage, 

Isaac 

This is not an event for existing pilgrims. Rather it is an event that we want existing pilgrims to encourage a younger generation to take part in. Here are the details:

WALK FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 16 plus

ST WILFREDS CHURCH SOUTH RD

HAILSHAM, BN27 3JG

SAT MAY 25^th

9.30 registration

10am Start walk

12. 30 prayers/lunch St Pancras

Arlington

14.00 Michelham Priory

1600 Arrive St Wilfred’s church hall

1630 prayers and depart

Please bring packed lunch

Wear suitable clothes and footwear

For more info email garyobrien4@yahoo.co.uk

Bill’s funeral will be on Wednesday 1st May:

12.15 Mass in Friary Church, Haslett Avenue West, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 1HR,

followed by burial at Snell Hatch Cemetery, 35D The Dingle, West Green, Crawley, RH11 7JG

followed by reception in Friary Church Hall.

If you are planning to attend, please reply here in a comment, to help Bill’s widow Chris get a feeling for numbers.

Pilgrims will be saddened to learn of the death of Bill Ward on Maunday Thursday, 28th March. Geoff Murray gave me the news and told me that Bill had sadly been suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and he had been in a nursing home for the last 16 months.

Bill was a regular on our pilgrimage from 1991 into the 2010s. He loved our pilgrimages and was a much-loved figure. Many will remember the prayer stops that he led, full of wisdom.

Here are some photos to remind us of Bill. The last one was captured on the 2004 Crawley Reunion that he organised and shows him with his son and future daughter-in-law.

Terry’s funeral will be held on Friday March 15th 11:30am at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Redhill RH1 1LF.

Pilgrims will be saddened to learn of the death of Terry Dobson on Sunday 18th February.

Terry’s first pilgrimage with us was in 1987 and he was a regular for the next 20 years.

Here are some photos to remind us of Terry:

NEW ON-LINE BOOKING

You will have seen yesterday’s announcment that bookings are open for our 2024 pilgrimage. If you followed the link, you will have learnt that this year we have a new online booking form. This collects all the required information that previously went on the paper forms, but does not include the actual payment. Rather, instructions are given for how to make payment via online banking (preferred) or a good old fashioned cheque. Many thanks to our webmaster Aidan for setting all this up.

Please get your booking in early or else you might be disappointed . We are putting more effort into publicity this year to try and attract new pilgrims. Once capacity is reached, bookings will be closed.

POSTERS

We have also now released our posters for this pilgrimage: the main poster, an inkjet-printer-friendly alternative poster, and an image for social media. Please distribute these to groups you think might be interested in our pilgrimage, electronically or physically.

PUBLICITY

We have come up with the some words as a suggested entry for parish newsletters, walking group newsletters etc. The idea is to make it easy for newsletter editors; they don’t have to come up with their own words but can use the words in the following paragraph:

All are welcome to join the Heart of England Walking Pilgrimage from Worcester to Peterborough, 10th to 25th August 2024.   The route takes in Worcester, Coventry and Peterborough cathedrals, Rutland Water and much splendid countryside.  There are rest days in Warwick and Market Harborough.  The organisers are the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton ecumenical walking group who have run an annual pilgrimage since 1975 in different parts of England and Wales.  Come with us 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).  To find out more and book your place, visit www.thepilgrims.org.uk/book

Please send these words out to suitable newsletter editors or webmasters that you know! Feel free to adapt them to suit the particular audience.

WEBSITE CHANGES

We have introduced two categories of posts. Yesterday’s “Bookings are Open” post was a public-facing post and as such it is listed under Announcements on the home page of the website. The post that you are reading now is an internal-facing post and is not listed under Announcements; rather you have to click on Latest News to see it. This has been done to counter feedback received that our website appears to be too introspective, highlighting news that is interesting to past pilgrims but not to prospective new pilgrims. Both categories of posts continue to be emailed to all subscribers when published on the website.

THE HEART OF ENGLAND PILGRIMAGE PLANNING UPDATE

All the halls were recce’d and booked before Christmas. Congratulations and thanks to the team of Bruce, Penny, Richard and Chris. Meanwhile Bruce is claiming a day route planning record . He walked Worcester to Inkberrow in October. Is this the earliest ever? Bruce did this at risk, though, as the day had not been allocated to him yet!

The time of the funeral has been changed to 12 noon when the larger chapel at the crematorium is available. The other details remain the same. I have corrected the details in the previous post.

We have been informed that all are welcome at Joan’s funeral which will take place on Mon 22nd Jan at 12 noon at the Surrey and Sussex Crematorium (Balcombe Road, Crawley, RH10 3NQ) followed by refreshments at Reigate Baptist Church (Sycamore Walk, Woodhatch, Reigate RH2 7LR).

There is a funeral notice here.

Maurice advises that pilgrims arriving by public transport can catch a train to Gatwick Aiport, and then Metrobus number 3 at 1131 which starts from the A23 stop outside Gatwick South Terminal and gets to the Crematorium at 1142 in time for the funeral ceremony.