Day Two: Sedge Fen Baptist Church to Brandon.
The weather once again was sunny after a frosty night. As we left Sedge Fen US fighter planes screeched across the sky, first one then another and then occasionally in twos or threes. We were reminded of how close we were to Lakenheath and Mildenhall, and reminded of the realites of the world. After several miles of walking we entered the more tranquil world of sedge and marshland, across a railway line and onto the edge of Lakenheath RSPB reserve. The area was sedge and expanded water due to recent rain. As we walked along a raised bank we were treated to the sight of the bird life, and now the more attractive sounds of these beautiful species for a time replaced the sound of planes. A Cormorant perched on a bare branch, a Barn Owl surprised us as it left it's secluded tree to take to flight, a little further and two Cranes took to clumsy then elegant flight from the heart of their reedy hide, and all the while the sound of Coots and the sight of Swans delighted us while Marsh Harriers flew overhead.
After a stop for lunch we met a lady passing by who's sister, now in Canada, had done her VSO in Uganda, what a small world.
The afternoon saw us leave the wonders of the nature reserve and head towards Brandon. The watery landscape was replaced by Breckland as a group of tiring ramblers followed a path through some the trees. Three full grown deers ran across the field to give us a brief glimpse of their athleticism as our legs became rather heavy.
Eventually Brandon Church came into view and what we thought was an shorter day's walking turned out to feel at least twice that distance.
Our thanks must go to Derek and Naomi especially who were our patient back up team, having to wait for us as we enjoyed the scenery. Jeremy, Alan, Martin and yours truly were glad of the comfort of the "Brandon Otel" and a good night's sleep.
Monday, 1 March 2010
How to Give to the School We're Building in Uganda.
Radio Norfolk and Radio Cambridgeshire both asked how people can give for the buiding of this school in Uganda. Send a cheque marked 'Walk for Uganda' and make it payable to 'St Thomas a Becket PCC.' The money is not for the Church but is being handled by the Church so that we can get Gift Aid Relief. I can assure you that every penny given will get to where it is needed in Uganda.
Thank you for your interest.
Canon Richard Darmody
Radio Norfolk and Radio Cambridgeshire both asked how people can give for the buiding of this school in Uganda. Send a cheque marked 'Walk for Uganda' and make it payable to 'St Thomas a Becket PCC.' The money is not for the Church but is being handled by the Church so that we can get Gift Aid Relief. I can assure you that every penny given will get to where it is needed in Uganda.
Thank you for your interest.
Canon Richard Darmody
The Walk: Day One. With nervous excitement about fifteen of us met outside Ely Cathedral for the send off on day one of our walk from Ely to Carrow Road, Norwich, a trip of 70 miles. The day was such a contrast to yesterday, weather-wise. The pouring rain had ceased and the morning broke crisp but clear. It was the first sunshine for many days. It couldn't have been better.
I did a live interview with Radio Cambridgeshire on my mobile phone. Then we gathered at the west door of the Cathedral for a short service. We sang a verse of Cwm Rhondda on this St David's day and then Bishop David led prayers. We stopped for a photo-shoot and then set off. The Bishop, son Daniel and Granddaughter Eden saw us to the edge of Ely. June and Hannah Reed came a little further, then the rest of us set off along the river to Prickwillow. Swans and geese swam beside us. Our path was muddy but the sun was now warm and cheering. How liberating it felt on a Monday morning to be in the bracing air, in good company and walking for a good cause.
We followed the Hereward Way to Prickwillow, past the old pumping house, now a museum, and paused for a snack. Before long we were making our way along the bank to Shippea Hill. Our vantage point from the bank opened up a vista across the flat fields of the fenland, pitch black and fertile against an enormous sky. Suddenly my mobile phone rang, it was Radio Norfolk asking to do an interview. It felt a surreal request in the middle of this remote fenland landscape.
Shippea Hill Station Car Park was our place for a welcome lunch supplied by Jim and June, our back up team. The station is still operative and trains whisked past en route to Cambridge or the Midlands.
It was a relativley short afternoon's walk, following the contour of the railway line to Sedge Fen Baptist Church. Our first day had come to an end, twelve miles had been accomplished and all felt a warm satisfaction, and the odd twinge here and there.
I did a live interview with Radio Cambridgeshire on my mobile phone. Then we gathered at the west door of the Cathedral for a short service. We sang a verse of Cwm Rhondda on this St David's day and then Bishop David led prayers. We stopped for a photo-shoot and then set off. The Bishop, son Daniel and Granddaughter Eden saw us to the edge of Ely. June and Hannah Reed came a little further, then the rest of us set off along the river to Prickwillow. Swans and geese swam beside us. Our path was muddy but the sun was now warm and cheering. How liberating it felt on a Monday morning to be in the bracing air, in good company and walking for a good cause.
We followed the Hereward Way to Prickwillow, past the old pumping house, now a museum, and paused for a snack. Before long we were making our way along the bank to Shippea Hill. Our vantage point from the bank opened up a vista across the flat fields of the fenland, pitch black and fertile against an enormous sky. Suddenly my mobile phone rang, it was Radio Norfolk asking to do an interview. It felt a surreal request in the middle of this remote fenland landscape.
Shippea Hill Station Car Park was our place for a welcome lunch supplied by Jim and June, our back up team. The station is still operative and trains whisked past en route to Cambridge or the Midlands.
It was a relativley short afternoon's walk, following the contour of the railway line to Sedge Fen Baptist Church. Our first day had come to an end, twelve miles had been accomplished and all felt a warm satisfaction, and the odd twinge here and there.
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
In a few days the walk will begin. It seems impossible that a mad idea in October has produced this reality. Not only so but we now have at least 15 people doing parts of the walk; four of us walking the whole way to Norwich. We have a Bishop and a famous TV Chef on board. We have people providing back up, taking shifts ferrying people to pick up points, bringing us food and generally being on stand by. We have old friends participating in an activity after not meeeting until recently for nearly forty years. We have new friendships forming. I wonder how these might be tested over the course of the week?
Day one will see us setting off from the historic Ely Cathedral towards Farthing Drove; 12.1 miles. We will be ferried home the first night. Day Two; back to Farthing Drove and head for Brandon where we will stay the night at a B&B. Day Three we will cross Thetford Forest and end up at Larling and stay at The Angel Pub. Day Four we will make for Wymondham before setting out for Norwich on day five. We will stay at the Annesley Hotel on Friday night. We are eating at the Annesley with some friends and family. We will all walk to Carrow Road for our date with Delia at 12.15pm.
Work has been so hectic of late that preparation has gone out of the window, but sights have been set and there's now no turning back. "Listen to this " said June as she read me an article tonight "there are these blokes in their 50s walking 900 miles for charity! Let's not go there! (Yet?).
Day one will see us setting off from the historic Ely Cathedral towards Farthing Drove; 12.1 miles. We will be ferried home the first night. Day Two; back to Farthing Drove and head for Brandon where we will stay the night at a B&B. Day Three we will cross Thetford Forest and end up at Larling and stay at The Angel Pub. Day Four we will make for Wymondham before setting out for Norwich on day five. We will stay at the Annesley Hotel on Friday night. We are eating at the Annesley with some friends and family. We will all walk to Carrow Road for our date with Delia at 12.15pm.
Work has been so hectic of late that preparation has gone out of the window, but sights have been set and there's now no turning back. "Listen to this " said June as she read me an article tonight "there are these blokes in their 50s walking 900 miles for charity! Let's not go there! (Yet?).
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Encouragement must be the operative word. Tonight June and I visited Ramsey Scouts. They based their Global Awareness Badge on our work with Uganda. The young people found out about the practical care done within the North Kigezi Diocese. Then they held a cake stall at St Thomas a Becket Church and earned £70.70 for our Uganda Fund. We were able to attend their group meeting and receive the cheque and present their badges after showing pictures of the school project in Uganda.
Another encouragement today was a phone call from the Bishop of Norwich's Office. I wrote to him as a matter of courtesy to say I would be walking for Uganda within his Diocese in March. He sent his best wishes and promised to send a small cheque as a token of his support. This is a kind response and it lifts the spirits.
On another note, we were very saddened to hear today about the premature death of a dear friend in Uganda John Muhumuza who is the Diocesan Secretary of the North Kigezi Diocese. The last time we saw John he had a shining, smiling face. We were looking forward to seeing him in August, it is hard to realize he won't be there. Our love and prayers are for his wife, Jolly, and their children. "Forever with the Lord."
Another encouragement today was a phone call from the Bishop of Norwich's Office. I wrote to him as a matter of courtesy to say I would be walking for Uganda within his Diocese in March. He sent his best wishes and promised to send a small cheque as a token of his support. This is a kind response and it lifts the spirits.
On another note, we were very saddened to hear today about the premature death of a dear friend in Uganda John Muhumuza who is the Diocesan Secretary of the North Kigezi Diocese. The last time we saw John he had a shining, smiling face. We were looking forward to seeing him in August, it is hard to realize he won't be there. Our love and prayers are for his wife, Jolly, and their children. "Forever with the Lord."
Friday, 5 February 2010
The first breath of Spring. June and I walked to Upwood today. What a contrast to a couple of weeks ago when we battled the elements and felt the cold as we walked. Today it must have been about eight degrees, the sun shone and the gentle breeze was a promise of spring. Of course next week might prove me a liar. We paused for a light pub lunch before the return journey.
This week there has been a sense of momentum. There was a meeting earlier in the week with members of the PCC to discuss how money raised already should be given to Uganda. We took advice from a Bishop who has had dealings with Uganda. We felt it important to raise funds independent of sponsorship money to send someone to Uganda to visit the school site, to discuss plans with the people on the ground and to find out first hand the time schedule. We will then release money in stages as schedules are met.
There has also been a lot of good will shown by members of the public who are willing to give their financial support. Alan Howard is also proposing a route to Norwich which looks very sensible and manageable. The first day's walk of 12.1 miles to Farthing Drove is the farthest, the other days are in the region of 11 miles. This will be an encouragement not least to those who can walk with us for a day or even two.
I have just noticed that Captain David Waters our Diocesan Youth Officer has signed up as a follower. It's great to have you on board David!
This week there has been a sense of momentum. There was a meeting earlier in the week with members of the PCC to discuss how money raised already should be given to Uganda. We took advice from a Bishop who has had dealings with Uganda. We felt it important to raise funds independent of sponsorship money to send someone to Uganda to visit the school site, to discuss plans with the people on the ground and to find out first hand the time schedule. We will then release money in stages as schedules are met.
There has also been a lot of good will shown by members of the public who are willing to give their financial support. Alan Howard is also proposing a route to Norwich which looks very sensible and manageable. The first day's walk of 12.1 miles to Farthing Drove is the farthest, the other days are in the region of 11 miles. This will be an encouragement not least to those who can walk with us for a day or even two.
I have just noticed that Captain David Waters our Diocesan Youth Officer has signed up as a follower. It's great to have you on board David!
Friday, 29 January 2010
Welcome to Val Robson and Jim Hewison as followers. Val has very kindly given the walk some generous space on the Diocese of Ely's News Website and our piece has gone out live this week. Jim is a valued member of St Thomas a Becket Church and a former Church Warden.
This has been an exciting week as Delia Smith has come good and agreed to welcome the walkers at Carrow Road on 6th March. There has also been a sense that we are entering the final phase of preparation. Jeremy Summerell (Ramsey) and Alan Howard (Norwich) who as yet have never met but are walking together, have volunteered to work on the exact route from different ends and look into where we can stay en route. If I had been a details man all this would have been sorted out months ago. The good thing is that we are a team with different gifts and we will each play our respective part. I can think of nothing worse than someone like me giving the team a briefing with no space for anybody else to participate. Like the Church we can be a body with different functioning parts but working for the common good.
I went to the gym this morning to review my programme,. The instructor increased the exercises with more of an emphasis on endurance. The bad news is someone said "why are you doing this for Uganda, isn't it one of the richest countries in Africa?" The answer is a resounding no, it's extremely poor. Once I told him about the low average life expectancy, the plight of the orphans, the prevalence of HIV/Aids, malaria, breathing related illnesses to name but a few, he got my point. This is not even to mention the growth of child sacrifice, corruption and some very basic schools. We need to get the message out there that the poor are indeed with us.
This has been an exciting week as Delia Smith has come good and agreed to welcome the walkers at Carrow Road on 6th March. There has also been a sense that we are entering the final phase of preparation. Jeremy Summerell (Ramsey) and Alan Howard (Norwich) who as yet have never met but are walking together, have volunteered to work on the exact route from different ends and look into where we can stay en route. If I had been a details man all this would have been sorted out months ago. The good thing is that we are a team with different gifts and we will each play our respective part. I can think of nothing worse than someone like me giving the team a briefing with no space for anybody else to participate. Like the Church we can be a body with different functioning parts but working for the common good.
I went to the gym this morning to review my programme,. The instructor increased the exercises with more of an emphasis on endurance. The bad news is someone said "why are you doing this for Uganda, isn't it one of the richest countries in Africa?" The answer is a resounding no, it's extremely poor. Once I told him about the low average life expectancy, the plight of the orphans, the prevalence of HIV/Aids, malaria, breathing related illnesses to name but a few, he got my point. This is not even to mention the growth of child sacrifice, corruption and some very basic schools. We need to get the message out there that the poor are indeed with us.
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