I absolutely love seeing our medieval churches anchoring the landscape in every town and village. To help preserve them, I'm taking part in the 2026 Norfolk Churches Trust fundraising event because dwindling parishes are struggling to maintain these amazing buildings and I want to keep them standing!

If you share my enthusiasm, will you consider sponsoring me?

This year I can't do the bike ride on 12th September with everyone else because I'll be at my grandson's wedding, but I've been visiting churches on walks and bike rides for months to enjoy the spirit of this great event. So far in 2026 I've visited 36 churches including my long-time favourite trio Salle, Wood Dalling and Thurning*.

Like last year, I'm splitting the results of my fundraising between Thurning church and grants to churches around the county through the Norfolk Churches Trust. Do you know Thurning church? As you can see in the photo, it's small compared to many village churches and along it’s one aisle there are amazing Victorian box pews. In the past few years this tiny parish of 20 houses has raised enough money to replace the main roof and, since last year's bike ride, the porch has been repaired and re-roofed. The next big challenge is the tower which has unstable floors, ladders and other timbers preventing the weekly winding of the clock!

I will match every pound of sponsorship you and other friends give with a donation of my own. THANK YOU for reading this and considering a gift.

Hilary

* The 36 are Brampton, Borough, Oxnead, Oulton, Guestwick, Reepham (2), Heydon, Cawston, Aylsham, Ingworth, Erpingham, Wickmere, Calthorpe, Corpusty, Saxthorpe, Little Barningham, Plumstead, Matlaske, Barningham Winter, Baconsthorpe, Felbrigg, Trunch, Swafield, Tuttington, Swanton Abbott, Binham, Wighton, Walsingham, South Walsham (2), North Elmham, Dereham as well as Salle, Wood Dalling and Thurning. That means I have only 623 more medieval churches to visit in Norfolk!!