Octogenarian cyclists Paula and Michael Hughes visited 50 churches in one day on their tandem to raise funds for their home church of Our Lady & St Walstan’s, Costessey, and the Norfolk Churches Trust.
The annual Trust fundraising event took place on Saturday September 8 and at Sunday morning Mass at St Walstan’s on September 9, Fr David Ward congratulated Paula and Michael on behalf of the parish on achieving their target of visiting 50 churches in the course of the day.
Starting from their home in Taverham at 9am, they visited churches in and around the city covering 34 miles on their tandem before returning home soon after 5pm.
The veteran cyclists have taken part in the event for the last three years, visiting 34, 42 and now 50 churches. Paula said afterwards that if Michael planned on visiting 60 churches next year he would have to do all the planning to make it possible.
Michael said: “I hope that the 161 years we share between us are not too obvious in the photograph which was taken by one of the ‘recording angels’ at Christ Church Eaton.”
The couple are still some way short of matching their fund raising total of £800 achieved last year but are still pleased with the result of their exertions. Each participant in the event is allowed to nominate a church or parish to receive 50% of the money raised the remainder being used by the Trust to assist with the maintenance and repair of our county’s many historic church buildings.
norfolkchurchestrust.org.uk
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