John Mason’s Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela:

Fundraising for Portesham School.

 

Dear Friends,

 

Many of you know of my love for Pilgrimage, and particularly the various routes to the Shrine of St James in Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain.

2025 is the 20th Anniversary of my first pilgrimage and this year I intend to try and re-walk in total the original route I walked, back in 2005.

The Camino Frances, the most popular route, is 500 miles from St Jean-Pied-de-Port, on the French side of the Pyrenees, to Santiago via such wonderful cities as Pamplona, Burgos and Leon. I start walking on the 14th of April and hope to arrive in Santiago on my 77th birthday, the 13th May, when, all being well, my ever-patient wife, Julie, will be there to greet me.

I thought that, for what will probably be my last long pilgrimage, it would be a good idea to try and raise some funds to support our wonderful village school, to enable them to purchase a specific item that would provide real benefits to the school and its pupils. Having discussed this with Vicky, The Head, she feels that a school hall sound system with mounted speakers, mixer, microphones and an amplifier would be brilliant for the school and its pupils, as a teaching aid. In the present economic climate, this is something that they cannot afford with their existing budget. The cost of this equipment is just short of £1,000.00 and this is the target I am hoping to achieve via sponsorship for my pilgrimage.

I will be talking to a school assembly later this month about pilgrimage and will be interviewed by two pupils for the school newspaper “The Good News”. I will be putting up a large-scale map of the route in the school hall, so that the children can monitor my progress as I limp towards Santiago.

The theme for Assemblies this half-term and next is “Reflection and Renewal” which fits perfectly with the concept of pilgrimage. Vicky feels that the children will benefit from an understanding of why it is so important to so many people.

We are hoping that you will be prepared to donate, however small, towards our goal of raising £1,000. You can sponsor me by the mile or as a one-off donation. To ensure that all sums raised go straight to the school, I would be grateful if you could send any donations to the school addressed to “Friends of Portesham School (FOPS). FOPS has a bank account dedicated specifically to the school. If you are making a payment by bank transfer, the details are as follows: -  

Account Name: Friends of Portesham School.

Account Number: 66968962.  

Sort Code: 30.99.50.

Kindly put your surname and the word “Pilgrimage” in the reference box for payment.

Please note that none of the money raised will be used for funding the costs of my pilgrimage.

 

Vicky and I would like to thank you sincerely, in advance, for any financial help that you give to the school.

 

Contact details –

Home: 01305 871117

Mobile: 07905 187389

Email: johnmasonfaro@yahoo.co.uk