Celia and myself were determined to go again and walk all 6 miles. We got there nice and early to get signed in and have a cuppa. Gradually about 30 people turned up so a good crowd. A display about the history of Christian Aid had been set up – I learnt they had helped to form Voluntary Service Overseas amongst other organisations so not just involved with development work and supporting people to get out of poverty.
This year the focus is on Mali where the Dogon people have had to find ways to support themselves as climate has changed ; patterns of drought and rain have changed. Although many have very little they help each other as best they can and crops are shared so everyone has something. A third of Malian children under 2 are chronically malnourished and women have no rights to land so they find it hard to grow crops to feed them.
As groups of people grow food together women are able to have their own patch of land and access to water and with provision of seeds and tools etc they are able to begin providing for themselves.
We set off from the Cambrian Centre and we aimed ourselves clockwise to go mostly around the edge of the park returning to the Centre and took our time enjoying the lovely blue sky and sunshine which was really warm at times. We walked some of the way with one or two of the Christian Aid team and we kept each other going whilst quite a lot of the group went on ahead. We were happy enough minding both the deer and our feet! And gently wandering. We had lots of photos taken along the way by the Christian Aid team and we tried answering a little quiz and thought a bit about Harvest – a set of questions to talk over – do we have any favourite memories of harvest time?
We stopped as we wanted to break and then carried on and once we got near Richmond Gate we knew we were on the last stretch and a nice sit down and tea and the promised cake waiting for us.. hoping there was still some left! We got our card checked at the last gate and then it was down the road to the Centre where we had the last stamp on our cards and a medal hung round our necks!!! We had made it and yes there were a couple of slices of cake left! Wearily but happy with our achievement we went off to get the bus home having said – ;see you again next year;’ We have done a little to support those who have so much less than us.
Thank you to Katrina for this report. If you have a report for the website please pass it on to Andrew or send it here.