The London Walk. March 14 2025.

Following an AGM motion to support this walk, which is organised by The London Homeless Collective, four stalwart Morley Ramblers set out on the evening of 14 March to raise awareness of homeless people in London. We opted to walk in aid of Glass Door – whose website was easy to navigate and offered free registration.

We met up at Charing Cross Station and proceeded to The Connection at St Martin- in – the- Fields, where we registered and were cheered on our way by Daphne.  Although there was quite a melee outside in total only around 300 or so people were doing this walk. Twenty sturdy walkers had registered for a full marathon but the vast majority of the walkers had, like us, opted for a mere 10k (6.25 miles).

We were joined by Sue C’s friend Sally Ann – who soon forged ahead to complete the half marathon.  We also met a fellow Glass Door supporter Zoltan, who was walking in memory of his late parents. They had been homeless and received assistance from Glass Door. Zoltan was not used to walking and we were pleased to welcome him to our group.   Sally noticed we were probably the oldest group there – most of the walkers appeared to be in their twenties or thirties.  I found the enthusiasm and commitment of these young people towards the homeless quite moving.

The walk comprised 4 loops covering East, South, North and West London; with  a log in point at St Martin’s at the conclusion of each section.  We set off in waves of about 30 with the 10 k walkers initially leading the way.  In the vanguard was our very own Sue Charteris, striding alongside marshal leading the walk! I have to say he set an alarming pace! Suffice it to say that after about half a mile – during which I had difficulty keeping them in view – Sue regained her senses and dropped back. Meanwhile Christine, Sally and I were being steadily overtaken by the next wave of starters. 

We soon left the buzz of the West End and entered the much calmer evening City. Although the extravagantly lit City skyscrapers are huge light polluters, The City of London streets seem poorly lit at night, most of the sodium street lamps having been replaced by LED. Anxious about getting lost, Christine sprinted after a bobbing head which she thought was mine but which turned out to belong to a Young Person. The result of this case of mistaken identity was that she completed the walk in a stonking two hours!

Meanwhile Sally, Sue,   Zoltan and I, already at the rear of the walk, were taking our ease with an unrepentant and well earned drink and snack stop by St Paul’s. From there it was a blessed downhill all the way back via the wonderful pedestrianised section of the Strand. We were greeted by Glass Door helpers and a relieved Christine. 

Despite our rest we finished in 2 hours and 24 minutes and were pleased with ourselves.  Altogether the whole Glass Door walking team raised £6,348 for homeless people in London. We would like to thank all those Morley members who contributed to support those without a roof over their heads in this, the sixth largest economy in the world.