Youlgrave: Woman, 87, walking a mile a day for village church

• By Matt Taylor
• BBC News, East Midlands

An 87-year-old woman is walking a mile a day to raise money to modernize her village church.

Barbara Scrivener, from Youlgrave, Derbyshire, challenged herself to walk the distance from Oxford to Guildford – about 42 miles (67km).

She is one of many villagers taking part in the Pommie Pilgrimage, which aims to raise £42,000 for the Grade I listed All Saints Church in Youlgrave.

Ms Scrivener is walking around the village to complete her challenge.

The church, which dates back to 1155, lacks key amenities, including toilets and a warm space.

Mrs Scrivener, who has lived in the village for more than 30 years, said: “I’m really delighted to be able to take part in this pilgrimage in my own little way.

“I’ve currently completed 14 miles out of the 42 as an octogenarian and am really looking forward to completing this and supporting the Pommie Pilgrimage.”

The push started with 27 people walking from Youlgrave to Derby Cathedral, arriving on 26 March, having set out two days before on Palm Sunday.

The Pommie Pilgrims are aiming to have reached all 42 Anglican cathedrals in England by All Saints’ Day on 1 November, and have so far raised over £20,000.

Kate Heath, founder of the Pommie Pilgrims, arrived at Chester Cathedral on 17 April having walked 70 miles from her home village.

Ms Heath has a number of routes planned, the next one being to continue on from Derby to Leicester in the next few weeks.

She said she was hoping to walk it with members of Youlgrave WI, stopping at Barrow-on-Trent to view the church there, which has undergone a reordering.

Rev Richard Tucker is set to walk from Birmingham to Worcester, Worcester to Gloucester and Gloucester to Hereford, starting on 5 May.

Meanwhile, in the village, a turf labyrinth will be opened on Saturday, which has been designed to allow locals and visitors to be able to walk the pilgrimage without leaving the village.