LONG WAYS FOR CROSSWAYS
Sponsored Walk to Raise Funds for New Church

The Bishop of Sherborne, the Right Reverend Tim Thornton, led a team of walkers tracing the steps of the early pilgrims by walking 50 miles in one day following the route of the Aldhelm Way between Sherborne Abbey and St Aldhelm’s Head. 

The purpose of the walk was to raise funds for a new church in Crossways, near Dorchester. Bishop Tim Thornton explained that the rapidly growing village of Crossways had been wanting a church for twenty-five years, and the sponsored walk was just one way in which the community of Crossways is being helped to raise the estimated £1 million needed to build the church and community centre, providing a venue for church services, musical events, exhibitions, meetings, activities for all, educational events, sports, and much more.

As Tim Thornton explained: “It’s about enabling the church to be part of the community and to provide a resource which will support and help the life of the people of Crossways.”

Starting at Sherborne Abbey at daybreak (4.00am on 10th May), the walkers covered the fifty miles  of the pilgrimage route in daylight, arriving at the chapel at St Aldhelm’s Head at 8.30pm. The route was established in 2005 as a celebration of the 1300th anniversary of Aldhelm’s bishopric.

The organiser of the walk, Debbie Albery, explained that: “With over 2,000 people, this village is the fastest growing in West Dorset and it has no church. The planning for this walk has been a monumental task in itself, and we’re so grateful to some of the people of Crossways for providing the support vehicles and transporting the 100 bananas, 100 Mars bars and all the other refreshments for our rest-stops.” She added that it was hoped that the walk would raise in the region of £4,000.

When the weary and footsore pilgrims arrived at the chapel on St Aldhelm’s Head there was a short thanksgiving service led by Archdeacon Paul Taylor, after which Bishop Tim Thornton summed things up by saying: “We’re all very tired; it’s been an extraordinary emotional and physical experience, but the people of Crossways are very special, and that’s why we have done this.”

Parishioners in Crossways have also been raising money themselves and will continue to do so.  Any sponsorship, albeit after the event, for the Bishop of Sherborne and his team would of course be welcome. Please contact debbie.albery@salisbury.anglican.org who will happily give out the necessary information.