Bishop boots up to combat poverty

The Right Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham has put his boots on to combat poverty and tread in pilgrim’s footsteps, walking the historic Bede Way in support of Christian Aid today (Saturday 14th June) writes Keith Blundy.



(c) Keith Blundy

Bishop Paul with Christian Aid supporters boot up to combat poverty.

Bishop Paul along with a large group of other Christian Aid supporters and the Revd Leo Osborn, Chair of Newcastle Methodist District set out on the route between the Anglo-Saxon twin monastic sites of St Peter’s, Monkwearmouth, and St Paul’s, Jarrow to raise money in the fight against global poverty.


Bishop Paul said: “I have always been an active supporter of Christian Aid, so when they asked me to take part in the Bede’s Way Sponsored Walk I was delighted to accept. Over the last few years, I have been doing prayer walks… taking part in the Christian Aid Bede’s Way Walk will be my own prayer walk and I am really looking forward to it.”

The twelve mile route follows the route between the two monasteries that the Venerable Bede once described as ‘One monastery in two place’ back in the 7th Century, for many this pilgrim trail is equal significance to those in the North and South.

Benedict Biscop, a Northumbrian noble, founded the monastery of St Peter in 674 and its twin house of St Paul was begun eight years later.

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