One more step along the world I go,
one more step along the world I go;
From the old things to the new
keep me travelling along with you.
And it’s from the old
I travel to the new;
keep me travelling
along with you.

Goodbye to Pytchley - Caroline & Michael Walker

I can hardly believe that it is coming up for three years since I was ordained and then closed Home Farm of Pytchley farm shop. Since then, I have been working as parttime hospital chaplain at Kettering General Hospital and part-time curate at Desborough, Dingley, Braybrooke and Brampton Ash.

This past year, I have been honoured to work as chaplain to the Mayor of Kettering too. It has been an action-packed three years and a privilege to meet lots of new people and share in people’s lives and journey of faith. It is now time to move on and, after a great deal of prayer and heart searching, Michael and I decided that it was the right time to explore a window of opportunity and look to moving down to the South West to be nearer to Michael’s mother and our eldest son with his wife and our new grandson. Simeon Philadelphus was born on 4th May, weighing 6lb 13oz. I have got a post as Rector of Hardington Vale in the Bath and Wells Diocese. We shall be living in the rectory in Norton St Philip which is just south of Bath. They have a very effi cient website that is updated regularly: www.hardingvale.org.uk.

Since people have heard that we are moving a frequently asked question is: ‘What will Michael do?’, having managed the farm here at Pytchley for the past twenty-fi ve years. In the immediate future Michael is looking forward to some time out… farming has been extremely tough the last twelve months with the constant wet of last summer. With the increasingly varying weather farming is a tough livelihood and very much a round the clock, round the year job… pray for your farming friends and neighbours.

Ultimately Michael would like to get involved in charity/development work, but there is one thing that he has already planned to do which is a sponsored walk for a charity called ‘Send a Cow’ (www.sendacow.org.uk). ‘Send a Cow’ has been working as a charity for 25 years and, to celebrate, a group are trekking in the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia for eight days, which will include climbing Ras Dejen, the fourth highest peak in Africa. The whole group has to pay their own expenses so all money raised will go direct to ‘Send a Cow’ and the current projects that they are running. While in Ethiopia the group will visit farmers supported by ‘Send a Cow’.

If you would like to support Michael in this and help African farmers feed their families and climb out of poverty for good, he has set up a Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/michaelbpwalker

I have been very touched to meet old customers from the shop around in Kettering, in the hospital and even… in a pub I had sneaked off to with some fellow curates! Thank you for your love, prayers and support over the years. Do, please, keep in touch - we would love to hear YOUR news too.

love
Michael and Caroline
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