Haddenham to Haddenham Pilgrimage 96 mile walk fundraiser

Dubbed the Haddenham to Haddenham Pilgrimage (H2H), Cllr Stephen Thompson and Cllr Andrew Wilding set off from the Three Kings Pub in Haddenham at 7.30am on July 1.

So far, more than £4,100 has been raised which will be shared with the Buckinghamshire village and used for two local causes in Cambridgeshire - Haddenham Library and the Holly's Active Stars.  

The pair hope to raise a total of more than £6,000. 

Cllr Stephen Thompson and Cllr Andrew Wilding set off from the Three Kings Pub in Haddenham on July 1. (Image: Stephen Thompson/Andrew Wilding)

Stephen who chairs Haddenham parish council and manages the Rovers FC U15s team, said: "We're raising money for two vital causes. Firstly, we're hoping to fund the village library so they can modify their doorway to allow for disabled access. 

"We're also raising for Holly's Active Stars, a charity established in memory of a much-loved and missed Haddenham Rovers footballer, Holly Fairchild, from the U15s girls team.

"Her parents started the charity last year to help parents who might be struggling with costs to allow their children to play teams sports."

From left to right: Paul Boguszewski, Cllr Thompson and Cllr Wilding. Image: (John Smith)

A number of pilgrims will join the pair along the route, which is split into six sections, and follows The Chalk Way, a national cycle path that runs from The Wash in Norfolk to the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. 

Stephen added that this isn't the first time a group has completed the route between Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire. 

He said: "There was a walk in May 2000 when 31 walkers left Haddenham in Buckinghamshire for Cambridgeshire. 

"Back then few people, if any, had smart phones and probably nobody on that walk was using one at that time.

"The record from only 24 years ago is in the form of photographs from film, rather than digital. The log which recorded each leg of the journey is typed neatly, printed and tucked into an album which is housed in Haddenham library."

To reach the Chalk Way, the pair walked south towards Royston before heading west. 

One they reach Princes Risborough, the last six miles will take them up directly to the through the centre of Haddenham to the village's beer festival on Saturday July 6. 

From left to right: Cllr Wilding, Cllr Thompson and Mark Batchelor (Image: Louise Tipler)

Andrew said: "The walks from point to point on Monday through Friday are each around 20 miles in length.

"This leaves the short walk into the beer festival on the Saturday morning.

"We hope the crowds will part to allow us to get to the bar to such an extent that it would have made Moses himself proud.

He added: "Those first few pints are going to be absolutely nectar."

You can track the pair's progress and donate by visiting their website: www.healthyhaddenham.co.uk.