HCPT Group 24

24k completed!!!

Well done today Team.

Some very muddy trainers and leggings!

Shall we push him in? :P

We've made it to Teddington Lock!!

Officially 1/3 of the way down :)

https://www.justgiving.com/page/hcpt-group-24-2024

Break #1

4K in!!!

We've made it through Richmond Park, and now starting the Thames route :)

Keep an eye out, we will continue to post updates!!!

Please donate if you can:

https://www.justgiving.com/page/hcpt-group-24-2024

In just over 2 weeks Group 24 is walking 24km to raise funds for HCPT!!! Please help us reach our £6000 target, we rely on donations to make our travel possible. HCPT provides holidays to Lourdes for children with disabilities and support needs. To find out more and donate visit:

Group 24's BIG Fundraising Walk - 2024 Help HCPT Group 24 raise money to support HCPT

Thursday evening was the Group’s party evening with people dressing up as characters from their favourite movies. Can you guess any of the characters below?

Party night also meant pizza and awards! We also got to find out fun facts about the helpers who travelled with the group, like who knows all the words to the TV series Friends and who had travelled up a big mountain in their youth!

After pizza, we went for a late night visit to the grotto and candlebanks where we remembered all those who couldn’t be with us and said thanks for such an amazing week in Lourdes. We lit a candle for the group and also for the wider Beaumont region. We hope that many of our friends and other groups can return next year!

Thursday morning was HCPT’s Trust mass, one of the highlights of the week for many of those part of HCPT. It was a truly moving experience for the Group with Fr Ruslan testing out his new Holy Water dispenser, and songs of happiness and joy filling the space that we were in.

It was also a moment for us all to reflect on those that were unable to make it out to Lourdes and the hope that many of them could once more travel.

Following mass and some good French food, the group held its traditional washing ceremony. This is a moment where the group comes together and thanks each other for all that we have given each other. It also fulfils one of the commandments that Mary gave Bernadette to “wash in the spring”.

More to follow on the Group’s Thursday night activities and party…

Wednesday was a day like no other and was the day we headed to Gavarnie!

As we inches higher and higher in the mountains the rain became snow and the snow became thicker and thicker. For the first time ever Group 24 got to Gavarnie and had to turn around because of the inclement weather.

Safely back down from the mountains Fr Ruslan said mass for the group and we had a great picnic followed by some fun adventures in Lourdes! These involved going to HCPT’s fun zone and making slime amongst other things!!

Tuesday afternoon saw the group split into teams and learn about the history of Lourdes and St Bernadette. At each notable location, the teams acted out a scene from Bernadette’s life, with fantastic acting skills on display.

In the evening because of the rain the Torchlight Procession was held in the Underground Basilica. It was an interesting and new experience for many!

Tuesday morning began with our traditional French breakfast, followed by HCPT’s Welcome Mass offering many of us the first chance to come together and celebrate mass for the first time in over 3 years. It was a very moving but joyful experience.

Following mass, we had an opportunity to take part in a whole Trust photo, something of a rarity in modern days, and a collectors item for everyone to take home. A cafe stop with songs and singing followed shortly thereafter.

More later…in the meantime we all know frogs go…tra la la la

A little prelude to our posts later this week, but Friday was a very special day for Fr Perry who celebrated 60 years of service to the priesthood.

In that time Fr Perry has been an integral part of HCPT, serving as the HCPT Trust Chaplain and of course as Group Chaplain for HCPT Group 24. We’re immensely privileged to know him and have him as part of Group 24 and loved celebrating this very special day with him.

More on that and our other activities later in the week…

Yesterday saw the 60th anniversary of Fr Perry Gildea's ordination to the priesthood. Fr Perry was for many years HCPT's Trust Chaplain, is the writer of the Grotto Jottings (including three for this year's Easter Pilgrimage), the Trust Prayer, and the recent prayer for the Cause for Brother Michael's Canonisation.

Fr Perry attended the last HCPT Mass of the pilgrimage where his anniversary was heartily applauded.

Following an amazing week in Lourdes with HCPT, we’re going to be reliving all the fun and activities of the past week. Do follow along and share your own memories from our time together.

To begin with we met very early…(in the dark) on Easter Monday morning to travel to Lourdes. ON arrival in Lourdes we ate some good French food and then visited the Grotto, where Mary appeared to Bernadette in Lourdes. Following this we had our first cafe stop of the week. The day ended with dinner and night prayers.

A trio of live events we are looking to bring you on this, the 2nd day of the 2022 HCPT Easter Pilgrimage.