Walking the walk for CAFOD

Judy on Hampstead Heath

It's quite a challenge - to walk 10k steps daily! You have to allow for 100 minutes of walking every day, which carves out a big chunk of time. This is what we were exhorted to do before the lockdown, to keep healthy, but that could have included walking to work or school, or to see friends. Now, it's nothing like that; it has to be purposeful and determined, although we have been allowed to walk with one other person, an ideal way to connect and chat. So far, I'm doing well.

I took up the challenge, partly because I need to do the exercise, but also because I know I am in such a privileged position in the UK. We turn on the tap and bingo, there is water. What WOULD it be like not to be able to do that? How appalling. We use, and sadly too often, waste water, such a great gift; we are so fortunate to live in a country with an abundance of water (though when it rains, we might not think so). I feel I should give back in thanksgiving, if I possibly can, and the CAFOD challenge gives me that opportunity.

The first person to donate to my JustGiving page was not a Catholic, not a Christian, but a Muslim; he recognised that CAFOD, and this particular cause, is so important and deserving of support. He wondered what music or podcasts I might be listening to - but actually, I want to concentrate on the sounds and sights around me, and think about those I'm supporting with every step, those with whom I'm walking in solidarity, who have to walk miles to find and fetch water for their families.

Because so many people are walking, biking, playing, or exercising their dogs in the neighbouring parks, they have become crowded - so I have taken to walking the quiet backstreets where I can walk in the road if necessary to avoid close contact with passers-by. It means I'm walking much the same streets - and finding, and being delighted with, the changing greenery, offering the first signs of spring - and hope.

This is the first sponsored anything I've done since as a teenager, I walked 20 miles on one of the first OXFAM walks; I was collecting pennies from schoolfriends and knew that for every mile I was raising the grand sum of 10 shillings and 4 pence for people in troubled nations across the world. It kept me going! With this challenge, you need to keep faith with those who've already donated - and keep going. I hope to do that all the way to Easter. But the fundraising for CAFOD mustn't stop then, and nor will their work.

If you would like to support Judy visit her Justgiving page here: https://walk.cafod.org.uk/fundraising/walk-for-water117