The Five Church Walk 6/5/19 Later News

This report was published in August's Chilham Parish News:-

My last report in June was written a week from my discharge from Margate Hospital on the very day of the Walk itself after major keyhole surgery. I hadn’t felt up to analysing walkers’ entry forms on how each wished their donation to be spread between the five churches and the two charities then.

This year for the first time we asked how many adults were included on their form, encouraging them to increase the suggested £5 per adult proportionately with some success. So this year’s walkers total is much higher than last year’s mere number of entry forms, but gives a truer impression of the numbers walking. Of course if children & dogs were to be included a true popularity of the Walk would be gained!

The money banked & walker numbers this year (with last year’s bracketed) are as follows:-

Chilham £2,187 (£2,019) walkers 326 (184)

Godmersham £290 (£320) walkers 45 (32)

Boughton Al. £1,430 (£1,112) walkers 189 (84)

Challock £1,095 (£828) walkers 140 (55)

Molash £814 (£830) walkers 102 (83)

Total £5,816 (£5,109) walkers 802 (438) To have attracted over 800 walkers is quite an achievement which also places demands on our stewards who are on duty from before 10am (the advertised start time) to closing the church doors at 6pm sharp to balance their records. I’m very grateful to them, particularly at Chilham which tends to get people not living locally, most supporting the two charities.

A disappointingly high proportion tick all seven boxes which means that each receives only 71p for every £5.00 donated. But if they ticked the church they start from and one of the charities, each would receive £2.50 (or £3,13 if gift aided). Bad handwriting also makes it difficult for the registrars to record details accurately & can render gift aid unclaimable.