A Journey of Faith, Fellowship, and Generosity: Walk Across the Bay
What do whistles, dogs, bare-feet and certificates have to do with a day in the life of a TeachBeyond member, you might ask? On Saturday 17th August 2024, 40 walkers of all ages signed up to walk from Arnside to Grange over Sands in aid of TeachBeyond, some with their dogs. We joined other charities such as Heartbeat and St Catherine’s Hospice to walk under the guidance of the King’s Guide.
The bare-feet part of the story is not surprising. After walking after the jagged stones for a while, we removed our shoes to walk through the river as instructed by the marshalls. But what about the whistle? Where did that come in? Before the walk began, we were instructed to attend the briefing with the guide who made it clear if the walkers heard the whistle that meant ‘Stop if you are walking’ and ‘Walk if you have stopped’. The main point was to keep moving.
After wading through the softer sands, we stopped before walking through the water for the second time. If you were there, you would have seen people refuelling, eating sandwiches, drinking and bracing themselves for the next adventure. On the second stretch the sand was harder and easier to navigate.
We were accompanied by a tractor throughout the walk and our younger walkers enjoyed a ride on the tractor at times, whilst the more senior members were NOT going on the tractor on principle!
The walk was completed in around three hours and was approximately six miles because the route was not a direct one but a safe one. We were wonderfully supported by churches in the local area.
In addition, we received generous donations from churches and individuals across the UK. So far, this has resulted in raising over £7,200 and so we are on our way to meeting our target of £7,500.
Some of us attended Cornerstone Community Church, Sedbergh or Caton Baptist Church the following Sunday wearing our blue TeachBeyond Walk across the Bay t-shirts as did some of the church members. We are truly grateful for all those who came along to support TeachBeyond.
Donations are still welcome and if you’ve missed out this time, do look out for future fundraisers. These funds will help to sustain the ongoing work of TeachBeyond to mobilise members to serve in projects that bring transformational education globally as well as enabling us to explore opportunities to work with organisations and Christian schools in the UK.
The fundraiser was a great opportunity for TeachBeyond members and donors to enjoy fun, fellowship and a good dose of faith! At the end of the walk, people were given out certificates to remember the day, which was a day full of connections within the TeachBeyond family and beyond.
Thank you to all who contributed in any way to further the work of TeachBeyond.