Pilgrimage Against Poverty: Newcastle - Jarrow Walk
Church Action on Poverty North East organised a pilgrimage on October 18th to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Iona-London Pilgrimage highlighting the existence of poverty in the UK.
See short web video (8 minutes)
The walk started with a welcome and short service at St John’s Anglican Church, Grainger Street, Newcastle and covered 7 miles stopping off at various places and picking up more walkers en route to St Bede's, Jarrow.
Church leaders, civic leaders and MPs joined walkers for the march, which culminated in a celebration in St Bede's RC Church. The weather was fine and sunny and the walkers carried banners and balloons, drawing attention to the focus of the walk.
St Bede's Church was full with the many local groups and churches who took part in the celebration.
The service included choral music from the "Salvation Army Songsters" and the "Jarrow Gospel Joy Choir" and dance from "Beyond the Barricades". Prayers of intercession were given by some of the communities of Tyneside including Meadow Well and Benwell, and projects "Happy at Home", South Tyneside Credit Union and the "Key Project" took part in Lighting Candles of Hope.
Religious leaders, including Bishop Seamus, addressed the meeting, and the service was followed by refreshments.
One especially memorable feature of the day and the service was the reading from Proverbs - which was the reading used at the commissioning of the original Jarrow Marchers:
"I have educated you in the ways of wisdom, I have guided you along the path of honesty.
When you walk, your going will be unhindered, if you run, you will not stumble."