TOWN centre chaplain Paul Lawlor is stepping out on a 22-mile sponsored hike from Worcester Cathedral to St Stephen’s Church on Saturday to raise funds for Christian Aid.
Rev Lawlor, vicar at St Stephen’s, admits the distance is a tad further than he has been used to in recent years.
“Walking is a common vicar hobby and we do lots of walks, however normally these peter out after around seven-and-a-half-miles,” he said.
Adding to the pressure will be the need to do the Sunday service in St Stephen’s the following morning and then lacing his boots again for the albeit much shorter Faith Walk from Bordesley Abbey to the church in the afternoon.
“I can just see me leading the service from a horizontal position,” he joked.
On Saturday he will be just one of many walkers aiming to raise money for Christian Aid Week, which is focusing on the plight of refugees.
Rev Lawlor is hoping to raise £200 for the cause and has set up a Just Giving page.
“Cream teas, also in aid of Christian Aid, will be served at St Stephen’s from 3.30pm to 6pm, so why not come along and see how tired we all are?” he said.
“I’ll be perfectly happy to receive any donations retrospectively!”
People can join the walkers at various points en route so they can all finish together at St Stephen’s.
For those wanting a shorter distance, the group will depart the Queen’s Head pub at Stoke Pound at 1.15pm for a medium length walk of 7.5 miles, while a 5.5-mile walk will leave St Bartholomew’s Church in Tardebigge at around 3pm. The shortest walk of 2.5 miles will leave St Philip’s Church in Webheath at around 4.15pm.
To donate to Rev Lawlor’s page, visit http://bit.ly/2qMkEJO.
