Story
Oh yes I am! I’m walking the Whittington Way!
From the 24th to the 31st August, I will be lacing up my walking boots to retrace the steps of a true legend. I am taking on the Whittington Way, starting my journey right where the real Dick Whittington was born at Pauntley Court in Gloucestershire. My route will take me 145 miles across the British countryside, passing the source of the River Thames and into Cheapside in London, before I make the final 15 mile push to my ultimate destination: Lopping Hall in Loughton!
The History & The Panto
The real Richard Whittington was a 14th-century merchant born in Gloucestershire who travelled to the capital and eventually became a highly successful, four-time Lord Mayor of London. The traditional pantomime, however, spins a much more magical tale! In the classic play, Dick is a penniless lad who walks to London believing the streets are paved with gold, ultimately finding his fortune, becoming Lord Mayor, and defeating the wicked Queen Rat alongside his trusty, rat-catching cat.
Why am I doing this?
In January 2027, my local pantomime group will be putting on a production of Dick Whittington right there at Lopping Hall. To honour the upcoming performance and get fully into the spirit of the story, I decided there was no better way to prepare than to experience first hand the adventure that the historical figure embarks upon at the start of the story, from the birthplace straight to Cheapside before finishing up at our stage!
While I might not be looking for streets paved with gold along the way, I am hoping to raise some funds for two fantastic local causes that do so much for our community:
🎭 UpStage Theatre Company (Loughton, Essex): Half of the funds raised will go towards helping the theatre company upgrade their vital storage facilities, ensuring they can keep bringing the magic of local theatre (and panto!) to life for years to come. I have performed with the UpStage Theatre Company for the past 2 years, playing Buttons in this year's Cinderella panto. UpStage Theatre Company provides excellent opportunities for people of all ages to have fun and perform together and are a real cornerstone of life in Loughton.
⛺ 41st Epping Forest Scout Group: The other half will support the Scouts by helping to fund international trips for those who join in on the last day, as well as covering the costs of essential equipment purchases and maintenance. I have volunteered as a Leader for the 41st for the last 10 years so they are cause that is very important to me.
https://www.41steppingforestscouts.org.uk/
Any donation, big or small, will give me the motivation I need to keep putting one foot in front of the other all the way from Gloucestershire to the Lopping Hall stage.
Thank you so much for your support, your generosity, and for helping local arts and youth adventures thrive!
A quick note on the donations:
To ensure the money supports both causes equally, I’ll be collecting the total funds into my account after the show in January. I will then split the net amount (after JustGiving's standard 2.9% + 35p processing fees) 50/50 and transfer it directly to UpStage Theatre Company and 41st Epping Forest Scout Group. I’ll post screenshots of the final transfers here so you can see your impact!
