Yesterday we had the privilege of welcoming a group of pilgrims who are walking the ancient route from Winchester to Canterbury. A group of about 40 walkers stopped in St Mary’s  Easton), St Swithun’s (Martyr Worthy) and St John’s (Itchen Abbas) as they made their way through the Itchen Valley to their first night’s rest in Alfresford. The group are on the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton Ecumenical Walking Pilgimage: there were first time pilgrims and veterans (including a couple who had met on pilgrimage ten years ago and subsequently got married); people walking for two weeks and some just for a day or two; Christians from the South Coast but also from Scotland and Spain. They paused in Easton for personal prayer and then had a guided prayer time in Martyr Worthy before a welcome cup of tea in Itchen Abbas.

The pilgrims in St Swithun’s reflecting on what home means to them.

We then sent them on their way with our blessing. It was good to be able to offer these fellow Christians the gift of hospitality and to encourage them in their pilgrimage. An enormous thank you to those from the Itchen Valley who enabled this to happen.

Why not look at their website to find our more and to follow their progress http://www.thepilgrims.org.uk

Revd Rebecca Fardell