Shortly after Easter, Peter Lyon from our congregation set off to walk from Land's End to John o'Groats. As he passes the half-way mark of his journey, he has sent an update from the footpath. If you haven't done so already, please consider sponsoring Peter, who is raising money for the St Mungo's homelessness charity. You can sponsor Peter via Just Giving.
I write this from Malham in North Yorkshire, where I am just about halfway through my Land's End to John O'Groats walk, raising money for St Mungo's. I have been really touched and spurred on by all your messages of support and donations. St Mungo's do very important work to help the homeless in London and I am really pleased that I have already raised well over £1000.
After a good start in Cornwall, I had some really tough periods in Somerset and Gloucestershire with bad weather, painful feet and very poorly maintained, overgrown footpaths, but since reaching the Peak District I have been in good spirits and really enjoying the amazing beauty in God's creation. In particular, I have enjoyed seeing parts of the country which are not tourist traps but are nonetheless beautiful in their own way. It is a great thing that most churches in remote areas leave their doors open (some even leave out tea and a kettle!) which I have frequently used for shelter and quiet reflection.
I have experienced so many small acts of kindness from friend and stranger. I am pleased to report that I am on schedule to finish by the end of June, though I still have the most mountainous and remote sections to come. I am looking forward to returning to St Giles and sharing some of my stories, including camping in the garden of a famous British industrialist, watching the coronation in a Wetherspoons, and battling through all kinds of weather conditions.