St Nicholas Church, at Salthouse, near Holt, was the venue for a triple celebration at the weekend, when a north Norfolk walking group completed a 75-mile challenge, a new, locally-brewed beer was launched and a pair of sisters marked the end of a successful joint film and art exhibition.
The hat-trick of events kicked off when members of Cromer Walkers are Welcome group set off from the church for a circular walk around the village, marking the end of a four-week, 75-mile sponsored walk in aid of the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
The challenge, which raised more than £600, was the idea of group member Val Smith, who, after meeting Hertfordshire heart transplant patient Kieran Sandwell on the Norfolk leg of his charity feat to walk 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain, decided to take on a challenge of her own.
'Kieran is an amazing, inspiring person,' Mrs Smith said. 'And I thought, well, it's my 75th birthday, so I'll walk 75 miles for the British Heart Foundation.'
Mrs Smith was joined by on her trek by Cromer Walkers are Welcome chairman and north Norfolk district councillor Hilary Cox who, as well as cycling to Germany and reaching Everest base camp, has scaled Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of Norwich Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre.
Mrs Cox is also chairman of a new BHF Cromer fundraising group, formed by a team of Walkers are Welcome members.
Also completing the final three and a half miles was Mrs Cox's two and a half-year-old granddaughter Gabrielle and British Heart Foundation east of England fundraising manager Marc Shaw, who praised Mrs Smith for her 'phenomenal' achievement.
On their return to Salthouse Church, the walkers had a chance to view a film and art exhibition by former Walkers are Welcome chairman
Siri Taylor and her sister Anne-Lise Horsley, before being treated to a glass of specially brewed beer created for the group by Martin Warren of Cromer-based Poppyland microbrewery.
Praising the walkers for their efforts, Ms Taylor said: 'Walkers are Welcome has been a real success in Cromer as not only have we published maps and guides, we are also mentoring other areas.'
To find out about BHF fundraising and volunteering opportunities, visit www.bhf.org.uk or email: shawm@bhf.org.uk
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