Walkers trek 60 miles in 24 hours for community centre (From Times Series)

Walkers trek 60 miles in 24 hours for community centre for the elderly

11:06am Monday 24th September 2012 in News By Natalie O'Neill

Walkers trekked 60 miles in 24 hours to raise thousands of pounds to set up a community centre for older people last weekend.

One hundred people took part in the challenge, raising a total of £7,000 for Christ Church Barnet’s Open Door Appeal which aims to set up the centre in an adjacent building in St Albans Road.

Volunteers set off on Friday, September 21, and visited 22 schools where they prayed for teachers and children before arriving back at Christ Church the following day at 6pm.

Fiona Oxley, 43, said: “There are people and there are moments along the route that will remain etched in my memory forever.

"I feel that I have made new friends, reached new heights in my faith, experienced new depths of despair and discomfort only to be lifted again. This weekend will forever remain in my memory.”

Pat Blyth, a volunteer at the church, said: “The atmosphere was brilliant as everyone turned up to the church after walking for miles. We had cake and celebrated their achievement.

“There was a lot of emotion – I don’t think people realised just how hard it was going to be walking through the night in the dark feeling cold and hungry.

“But they’ve raised such a lot of money which will really help the appeal.

"The centre is going to be primarily for the elderly and will be a place where they can go and meet people, learn new skills if they want to and generally feel a part of the community. Barnet is desperate for a place like this.”

The church needs to raise more than £1million to renovate the building next to the church which it bought following 18 months of fundraising.

So far the appeal has brought in £400,000. To make a donation visit www.opendoorappeal.co.uk