A ‘Whistle down the Wind’ fundraising hike
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Thirty nine wonderful participants joined our annual Caritas sponsored hike earlier this month, as it continues to grow in popularity.
Rachel, our head of fundraising, tells us more:
Twelve Catholic parishes and many non-faith organisations were represented in this year’s hike, with all of the individual fundraisers pledging to help a child or adult in any of our local communities out of poverty or homelessness.
The hike started in one of Lancashire’s prettiest villages, Downham, the location for the filming of Whistle down the Wind, currently enjoying a revival in its 65th anniversary year.
The day started cloudy and a little drop of rain threatened, but we were lucky enough to enjoy sunshine and a light breeze all day, apart from – typically – when we stopped to unwrap our sandwiches!
All day, we were blessed with smiles, the sound of laughter and the buzz of conversations that were sometimes light, often deep, and always supportive.
Together, we explored the foothills of the mighty Pendle Hill on terrain best described as undulating.
We had a few short, but steep, climbs to ascend, which meant we had to catch our breath back whilst being rewarded with the panoramic views of the Ribble Valley and across the border to the Yorkshire Dales. This certainly made the effort worthwhile.
Due to the size of the group, and the inevitable countryside stiles to climb that keep animals safe, our progress was a little slower than anticipated. So after lunch, we happily opted for a downhill route back to Downham, to finish the hike at the scheduled time.
Most people then stayed to celebrate their achievement, enjoying an ice cream or cake and a refreshing drink at the café on the village green and at the pub opposite the historic parish church.
We’re really grateful to everyone who took part, and to those who sponsored their fantastic efforts too.
These hikes are ways that our charity raises money to continue to be able to help local children, families and adults out of poverty and homelessness.
We’re really excited to have two more sponsored hikes planned for next year – one in March and one in September – with varying difficulty levels.
Click here to find out more about the brand new 2027 hikes and register to take part!
For more information or to discuss either of these two brand new hikes, please contact Iona Baxter or Rachel Taylor by email fundraising@caritassalford.org.uk or telephone 016 1817 2250 and press 1.
