An amazing line-up!
It’s Saturday afternoon in early May and pouring with rain. The climate seems to have gone back a month, with a freezing cold April and now showers and driving rain in May. It looks like the Walk to Notre-Dame could prove challenging! I was hoping to get my team out for training this morning but we have had to put that back 24 hours. We have a cunning plan, about which more will be revealed in due course but I’ll give you a hint below…
Line of duty…
The overall plans for the W4N challenge are progressing well. 39 teams have now registered, representing 24 separate charities, which is fantastic and more than we could ever have hoped for. There is such a diverse array of causes from those focusing on young people to theatre groups, to hospices, to charities for the homeless, mental health and the promotion of aspirations and general wellbeing.
My first blog was dated 12th April and at that point we had 18 teams. Since then we have been joined by YANA Never Walk Alone – and they will certainly not be, as close on their heels are the Norfolk Constabulary, led by our own Chief Constable Simon Bailey. Simon’s team are walking for Nelson’s Journey, the charity which offers a compassionate resource to children and young people who have suffered the bereavement of a family member or friend.
Norfolk and Waveney Mind are fielding six teams; and Bridge for Heroes in Lynn, looking after ex-servicemen, one team. Mental health charities are much in need at this time, and looking for support.
The caring organisations are also well represented: all three of our hospice foundations, Tapping House (The Hospice Hikers), the Priscilla Bacon Hospice (The Kids) and EACH (the Natural Wanderers), are now represented, together with the Norfolk cancer charity Big C (The Getaway Girls).
One for the album
All is set for the send-off on Wednesday from Norwich Cathedral. It would have been great to have had everyone there, but we must respect the existing restrictions. However, at the West Door of the Cathedral, in the open air, with representatives of all the charities being present, the Dean and the High Sheriff will send us on our virtual way and my faithful team of Anna Kasket and Christopher Lloyd Owen will then chart the teams’ progress on a daily basis and publish their photographs and stories on social media (@walking4norfolk) and this website
Follow us – and we invite you to join us at the finish line for a virtual glass of wine in spring sunshine in Paris, in the shadow of that great cathedral Notre-Dame.
Safe journey, everyone!
Jum
