Three go off to Rome

Three young people from my parish, Anna-Marie, Joseph and Gregory Treloar, are planning to cycle from Sidcup to Rome this summer by way of holiday and pilgrimage. The distance is approximately 1200 miles. As you can see from the above map, they have planned the route meticulously.

I saw Joseph this evening and told him that they must read Hillaire Belloc's "The Path to Rome" either beforehand or, perhaps even better, while they are on the journey. Gregory is currently walking round with his arm in a sling on account of a car driver opening his door as he was cycling past, throwing him and cycle across the road. He seemed to take some consolation in the damage he did to the car door. Anna-Marie is a nearly-doctor so should be able to help out with similar incidents in the Swiss Alps. I'm hoping that they will start a blog so that we can keep updated on progress.

The intrepid three have raised the money for the cost of the trip and want to use the opportunity to raise additional money for two excellent charities: the Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative which is run by the Sisters of the Gospel of Life and Mary's Meals. They have set up a Facebook group for the event: Anna-Marie, Gregory and Joseph Treloar cycle to Rome. The description is as follows:

This summer, we're cycling from our home in Sidcup to Rome, a total distance of 1200 miles, passing through France, Switzerland, and Italy before we finally arrive in Rome.

The trip is a holiday and a pilgrimage, but we'd like to take the opportunity to raise money for two fantastic charities. We're funding the trip ourselves, so all monies raised will go directly to the charities, in equal proportion.

Mary’s Meals provides a staple, daily meal in schools for children in some of the poorest countries in the world, thus fighting poverty through tackling malnutrition and encouraging education. The Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative provides non-judgemental practical, spiritual and emotional support for mothers in the UK, struggling with crisis pregnancy and the prospect of bringing up a child alone.

So please give generously- £1, £5, £10... Whatever you give will make a difference; Mary's Meals can feed a child for a year from just £6.15.

Thank you very much! We're very grateful for your support, it will get us up those mountains! We will keep all our sponsors in our prayers en route.

Here is the Fundraising page where you can make a donation. You wouldn't really want not to.