Tuesday 7th June
Once again the Lancashire Dotcom Walkers organised a walk and picnic as part of the celebrations marking National Volunteers Week. The walk started in Cuerden Valley Park where volunteers from St Catherine’s Hospice Care, Sue Ryder Care, the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside and Brothers of Charity Services Lancashire gathered in the Parks offices for a talk by David Beattie chair of the Friends of Cuerden Valley Park.
The Park itself is a trust which organises working parties of volunteers on the first Sunday of every month. However its big project in the past 12 months has been the building of a visitors centre. Now in its final phase of construction it will house a café and a function room (which will also provide a new space for the Park’s established environmental education programme for local schools).
After David’s presentation Michael Swarbrick the volunteer health walk leader for the park led the group of just under 40 walkers through Cuerden Valley on an attractive route. Early afternoon they arrived at Lisieux Hall where they were joined by more volunteers and the Voice for All advocacy group of Brothers of Charity Services. Together they enjoyed a delightful picnic in warm (some might call it hot) sunshine next to the chapel. Afterwards Clare Whittle (chair of VFA) and Becky Gammon (Deputy chair) gave a presentation about the role of advocacy at BoCS. This was followed by the annual pilgrimage to the top of the Mound for the traditional group photo.
Lots of thanks – to Michael Swarbrick who led the walk and kept us on time, to David Beattie (who once worked for BOCS) for his instructive contribution, to Catherine Haddon of the Wildlife Trust, to Laura Brewer of Sue Ryder Care to Don Beal, Barbara Blackwell, Jim Bentham and Sandra Livesey for marshalling the road crossings, to Liz Beaver for co-ordinating the BOCS volunteers and providing brews at the chapel, to David Johnstone for the supply of hi-vis jackets and to John Whitehead, Becky Gammon and Clare Whittle for their warm welcome at Lisieux.
We look forward to seeing everyone in 2017.
Bob Clare, Volunteer
