HCPT: The Pilgrimage Trust

In 1970 one of our parishioners became involved in the HCPT: The Pilgrimage Trust. Since then thousands of pounds have been raised through Coffee Evenings, Raffles and the Sale of Christmas and Easter Cards.

The money goes towards the expenses of the children who go to Lourdes with Group 83 at Easter. On several occasions since the opening of our new church we have been privileged to share the celebration of mass with the pilgrims before they have set off on their journey.

In April 2006, members of our parish, working with the charity HCPT, accompanied a group of young people to Lourdes. This was only possible through the tireless fund raising such as the sale of 2005 Christmas cards and coffee evenings which raised a total of £1008!.

Thanks to your generosity, Group 83 is now looking forward to their stay in Lourdes during Easter week. The group has been busy preparing for their pilgrimage since last October – gathering the helpers and then the young people. The thirteen helpers include a leader, deputy, chaplain and nurse. Five of the helpers and one of the young people come from our own parish.

In preparation for the trip, the young people and helpers have already met together to get to know each other and enjoyed a day at the Midlands Sports Centre in Tile Hill . The helpers had already held several meetings to plan the trip prior to this, and the leader and deputy had visited the young people and their parents. The Group will leave for Manchester by coach at around 6am on Easter Monday. They will meet up with other groups for the flight to Lourdes, arriving in the early afternoon. They will return the following Sunday evening – exhausted but with many wonderful memories. The whole of the stay in Lourdes is filled with love, care, joy, happiness and fun – for young people and helpers alike!

The helpers are expected to pay for their own fares although there are concessions available to help those in need. Each Group is responsible for raising the money to pay for the young people’s fares – Group 83 needed over £5000 this year to meet these costs. Fundraising efforts within the parish have included Coffee Evenings in November and March, a raffle and the sale of Christmas Cards. These have boosted Group 83’s funds by nearly £2600. Group 83 is indebted to their many supporters, to the parishioners and to the young people’s parents for their efforts in raising sufficient money.

Group 83 is part of HCPT The Pilgrimage Trust which was founded by Doctor Michael Strode in 1956 when he took four young people with disabilities to Lourdes. He insisted that they be treated as any other pilgrims staying in hotels. Each Easter since then, groups of young people and their helpers have travelled to Lourdes with the Trust – with group coming from the UK, Ireland, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, USA and the West Indies. From the UK almost 5000 young people travel to Lourdes – making it the largest children’s pilgrimage from this country.

Please pray for us all, as we shall for you in Lourdes.

Check the Parish events here to find out more about how we have been supporting this worthy cause.