Join us for the Walk to Easter
Lent is drawing to a close and Holy Week is just around the corner. We’d like to invite you to join us in CAFOD’s Walk to Easter.
What is the Walk to Easter?
The challenge is to walk 40km during Holy Week to help to build a better world.
You can take on the Walk to Easter as a standalone challenge or use it to round off your Big Lent Walk. The Walk to Easter is just eight days, starting on Palm Sunday, walking through Holy Week and finishing on a high on Easter Sunday. If you walk 5km each day, that’s 40km total – a perfect Lenten number.
Walk to Easter and win a £50 prize!
And there’s an extra incentive to get involved in the Walk to Easter.
Get three donations during Holy Week (13–20 April) and you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win your choice of:
- a £50 gift voucher, or;
- a £50 donation added to your Big Lent Walk page.
There are four prizes up for grabs and we’d love for you to be a winner.
So, whether you’re signing up now or getting those extra donations, you’ll be making this Walk to Easter count – for communities around the world.
George Fitzsimons’ Big Lent Walk
One of CAFOD’s trustees, George Fitzsimons, has been doing the Big Lent Walk and has extended his walking and running target. He even took on the Brighton and Hove 10k as part of his Big Lent Walk. George enjoyed the run but found it challenging as he says below:
“I had a lovely morning yesterday and [George’s wife] Christina’s presence was a great boost, although, to be honest, the last 2-3k were a bit tough! I was pleased with my time of 50 minutes 27, but there is still lots of room for improvement!”
George gives his reasons for supporting CAFOD on his fundraising page:
“I don’t need to tell you that the global needs are huge and CAFOD are working closely with local partners to deliver practical support in the face of myriad challenges.”
George has been very grateful for all the support he’s received. He continues:
“Thank you so much to all of you who have given so generously to my appeal for donations. There are truly desperate situations in so many places – Sudan, Gaza and DRC are key emergencies and now there is the Myanmar earthquake too. With the USA and many other governments cutting their funding for overseas development, a massive reset to international aid is under way (and has largely already and very suddenly happened).”
So far George has raised nearly £4,000, before Gift Aid.
“It is an enormous privilege for me to be part of CAFOD’s Lent fundraising effort, particularly at this moment when the whole development sector is facing so many challenges, both environmental and man-made. I have been so inspired by the massive and wholehearted commitment of our staff and volunteers and the huge generosity of all our supporters.”
How your Walk to Easter can enrich your experience of Holy Week and Easter
- You may be starting the day with your parish’s Palm Sunday procession – keep it in mind as you walk your 5km on this day, as Christians around the world re-enact Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
- Visit our Lent Calendar for a new reflection every day of Holy Week and Easter. Walk in faith and use your time walking as a chance to reflect and pray.
- Use our Stations of the Cross.
- Walk to the Holy Week services in your parish, following in the steps of Our Lord as we journey through His Passion.
- If you’re doing the Walk to Easter as a family use our Lent family prayer ideas or our Family Stations of the Cross. If you take part in a Walk of Witness in your local community, include that too.
- Invite your friends or family to join you on Easter Sunday for a celebratory walk in the spring sunshine. A good way to walk off lunch on Easter day!
Pope Francis encourages us to walk with Christ:
“Our deepest joy comes from Christ: remaining with Him, walking with Him, being His disciples”
Pope Francis
However you choose to join us, end this Lent on a high, knowing you’ve risen to the challenge you set yourself and that, this year, you’ve been part of bringing new life to people who most need it.