As retired teachers we want to see young people overcome adversity and thrive. We also have a love of walking! So from mid-August we are taking up the challenge of walking the Camino to Santiago de Compostela, which is 500 miles long, to raise money for Feltham Community Chaplaincy Trust (FCCT). FCCT works alongside the Chaplains at Europe's biggest Young Offenders Institute in Feltham, West London to help the young men aged 15-21 when they finish their sentences and return to their communities.
They do this by providing a volunteer mentor, usually of their same faith and from a nearby part of London, who will help them with all the issues people face when they leave prison. This includes helping them find work or training, new communities to be part of, dealing with their money, finding housing, or signposting them to the services and support they need to remain crime-free.
FCCT was founded 20 years ago and has a solid track record of helping young people not to reoffend and to lead fulfilling and productive lives. Like many charities, FCCT was badly affected by the Covid pandemic, not being able to meet its clients or raise funds and the charity is still recovering from those setbacks. So we want to do our bit to help them continue their vital work which literally helps to save lives.
During our journey, which will be both physical and spiritual, we will share our progress with you in words and pictures and we ask for your support and prayers as we prepare for what will be a challenging 5 week journey. But we would love it even more if you can spare as much as you can to help these young people on their spiritual and physical journies through life. And please don't forget to gift aid if you pay tax.
Thanks in anticipation for your support and we will be in touch again soon.
Anne & Mark