Walking the Peddars Way to raise funds for Little Massingham church after lead theft

Two over-70s completed a 90 mile walking adventure as they continue to collect funds in aid of a West Norfolk church which was targeted by lead thieves.

Rosemary Jewers , 76, and her walking companion Rina Adams, 77, completed the ancient Peddars Way from Colchester to Holme in late September.

She is raising funds for St Andrew's Church, a Grade I listed building in Little Massingham, where she is patron, after a lead theft which will cost £150,000 to refurbish.

The pair were greeted by representatives from Little Massingham, where her family are from, as they finished the walk.

Rosemary, whose great-great-grandfather was rector of the church in 1802, said: "It was a long, and at times difficult walk owing to the very bad weather we encountered and my horrendous blisters which I suffered with on my feet, but we made it.

"I’m 76 and Rina is 77. I think there is about 10 months between us. Now we are back home we still meet to walk once a week. There are no plans as yet to walk any more long distances, but you never know!"

Rosemary has raised more than £8,800 in total for the church, including a current total of £1,154 on her Just Giving page.

The page states: "From an early age I’d been keen to follow up a story handed down through some four generations of my family, that Peddars Way went all the way from the Norfolk coast to Colchester.

"Having been born and raised in a West Norfolk village where Peddars Way runs, this family story really resonated with me.

"At long last I had a very good reason for trying to solve this mystery. When I left Colchester I tried to follow a possible Roman route joining the known Peddars Way."

For more information on the walk, and to donate to the cause visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/rosemary-peddars-walk.