Nun takes on 1,200-mile walk for homeless charity

A nun is walking about 1,200 miles from Canterbury to Rome for a homeless charity.

Sister Elizabeth Carr, from Newark in Nottinghamshire, set off on 6 March - with her route including Great St Bernard Pass over the Alps in Switzerland - and is due to arrive on 16 July.

She is raising money for Newark Emmaus Trust charity, which helps young homeless people aged 16 to 25.

Sister Carr, 50, said: "It's highs and lows and aches and pains, but on the whole it is absolutely amazing."

Talking from Corbeny, in France, she said lots of people had been helping along the way, and "feeding me up".

"The feet are a little bit sorer than I thought they would be - I have had to go through about three packs of plasters.

"At the beginning I thought 'am I really going to be able to do this?' But, it's manageable," she said.

Sister Carr said she had been staying in homes, monasteries or parish centres, and "meeting all sorts of people".

"I'm trying to do this in the simplest and poorest way - I have limited funds," she said.

The sister said she was relying on people giving towards the cost of this pilgrimage, and the rest will be donated to the charity.

She added so far £3,000 had been made - which was her initial target - but her "hopes are high for £5,000".

Sister Carr said she felt the walk was helping her experience what it was like sleeping in different places - like the people she was raising money to help - and having to rely on other people's generosity.

She said: "The going from place-to-place has a psychological effect on you - you become quite needy.

"I do feel as though there is a great link between the walk and the people who are suffering.

"I just ask for everybody's prayers. It is a journey of faith. The prayers buoy me up."

Sue Huddlestone, from Newark Emmaus Trust - which provides housing and support for young homeless people - said what Sister Carr was doing was "absolutely amazing".

She said: "It is something we can't believe anybody would do for us.

"We're really, really grateful and pray for her that she is successful and is safe. It is a long way on her own."

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