Members of the Fiveways Benefice Beat the Heat on their walk for ABCD

An early start, a beautiful route, good company and a shared commitment to supporting ABCD Bethlehem made for a wonderful morning of walking for members of the Fiveways Benefice.

The group set off at 8am, keen to get some miles under their belts before the heat of the day became too much. As well as raising money for ABCD Bethlehem, their walk was also contributing valuable miles to the Palestine Relay, helping the wider ABCD community work towards the symbolic 2,000-mile journey between London and Bethlehem.

The walkers – Liz, Christine, Joyce, Sarah, Rebecca, Phillida along with their four legged friend Suki– are all part of the church community within the Fiveways Benefice.

The group deliberately tackled the uphill section at the beginning of the walk, along with a potato field, so that the hardest part was out of the way early. From there, the route was largely downhill or level as they made their way back towards Phillida’s house.

Much of the walk followed footpaths, including a particularly lovely stretch through the Pocket Park at Woodford, which follows the cutting of the old railway. The shade was very welcome, and there was plenty of time along the way for chatting, catching up and enjoying the attractive surroundings.

The walkers even passed a tempting café along the route. A couple of them were rather disappointed that the group decided not to stop for coffee, but the general feeling was that if they stopped, they might never get going again! Suki was allowed a much-needed drink, however, ensuring that everyone – human and canine – was properly looked after.

The group arrived back at Phillida’s house at around 11am, where they gathered in the garden to enjoy a well-earned coffee and a slice of Holy Land Cake. The cake was such a hit that everyone asked for the recipe, which was duly shared afterwards!

There has been wonderful encouragement and generosity from the wider Benefice community, and the group is hoping that their efforts will raise more than £1,500 for ABCD.

As well as the fundraising, every mile walked is helping to build towards the Palestine Relay total – a reminder that individual acts of support, however simple, can become part of something much bigger.

The group all agreed that it had been a lovely morning: a beautiful route, plenty of conversation and laughter, and the chance to walk together for a cause they care deeply about.

For more information on how you can add miles to our Palestine Relay, click the button below.