Event Date: Saturday 11 September
Hampshire and the Islands Historic Churches Trust are part of the National Ride+Stride Trust and its purpose is to save the heritage of our beautiful church buildings for future generations.
Since 1988, the trust has provided grants and loans in excess of £1.25 million to help repair, restore and maintain over 300 churches, chapels and meeting houses in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Full information is available on their website https://hihct.org.uk/
This year all three churches of the benefice are joining up with over 400 historic churches in Hampshire. Anyone can register to take part in the event. You may cycle, walk, run, ride or drive and you are free to choose your own route and to visit as many of the churches as you wish. Participants should nominate their own local church when they register or donate online or on the sponsorship form available in church. Ride&Stride encourage the use of the online ‘Virgin Money Giving’ as the easiest, quickest and most secure way to gather sponsors. You can also collect more supporters on the sponsorship form. Sponsorship forms can be returned to your own church if online giving is not possible. The nominated church will receive half of all money raised in sponsorship or donation; the other half is used by the Trust to make grants and loans to churches to help with the maintenance and upkeep of the buildings.
Kristin Tridimas is planning a long distance organised group walk to which members of all three villages are invited to take part. Even if you can’t take part on the day, do encourage friends and neighbours to support it or perhaps you can help by offering refreshments in one of the three churches. The plan is to meet at St Matthew’s Church, Otterbourne at 9.30am on Saturday 11th September (parking available) and to walk to Hursley and Compton churches. The timing and route may be subject to change so please check on this benefice website: If this route is too long, you can do only one section, between two of the churches. Alternatively, shorter walks (or rides or drives) can be undertaken by individuals and sponsorship forms can be returned to their own church if online giving is not possible.
Participants are encouraged to take photographs and email them to rideandstride@hihct.org.uk with details of who is in the photograph and where it was taken. Please let them know if they are able to use the images for marketing purposes.
Sponsorship forms are available on the HIHCT website. If you would like a hard copy, they are available for collection from your local church. All three churches are now open during the day. If you cannot download or collect a form but would still like to take part or for more information, please call Kristin Tridimas on 01962 775554.
Church representatives:
St Matthew’s, Otterbourne: Gill McDonald
All Saints’, Compton: Sheila Forbes
All Saints’, Hursley: Kristin Tridimas