Vicar's husband's 165-mile walk
The husband of a Salisbury Vicar is walking 165 miles from Canterbury to Salisbury in Holy Week to raise funds for his local Parish Hall, despite only ever attempting a sixth of that distance before.
Neil Turpin, who is married to the Revd Becky Roberts of the Harnham Parish Churches said:
“I have never walked more than 23 miles on consecutive days before so it will be physically demanding.
"I am walking partly as a personal pilgrimage but also to raise money for the Parish Hall transformation project.”
Neil will begin his walk from Canterbury on Sunday 14 April and plans to walk the last 26 miles of his journey from Winchester to Salisbury on Saturday 20 April.
He says his aim is to raise £100 for every mile he walks, £16,500 in total.
"So here’s where I need your help and involvement please. Part of the transformation project involves moving the kitchen from its current location to what is now the store room so that it can serve both the hall and the meeting room – and to create a kitchen that meets modern catering standards and one which will allow us, and hall users, to offer improved hospitality.
"The cost of this aspect of the project is likely to be in the region of £16,500. So that is my fundraising target - £100 for every mile of my walk which is very ambitious but, I hope, achievable."
Neil also said that in addition to any financial support, he would also value company on his training walks over the weekends leading up to Holy Week.
"I will be leaving from the Parish Hall on Lower Street at 2pm on the four Sundays before Lent, with a view to walking between 5 and 8 miles around the Parish boundary and (by way of incentive) finishing with tea and cake at the Vicarage. Then on Saturdays in March, I will leave from the Parish Hall at 9.30am aiming to walk about 10-12 miles on the first two weeks, and 15 miles or so on the next two weeks on routes yet to be determined.
"Finally, if anyone would like to join me on the last leg of my walk along the 26 miles of the Clarendon Way I would be really pleased to have your company."
People are asked to sponsor Neil via the Harnham Parish Office.
The 60-year-old Parish Hall in Lower Street, Harnham needs modernising in order to meet today’s needs. Harnham Parish is organising a series of events throughout 2019, including Neil Turpin’s sponsored walk. Other events planned include a beer and cheese evening on Saturday 27 April and a car boot and table top sale on Saturday 18 May.
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