School children welcome charity walkers

Volunteers from the Railway Land Wildlife Trust were joined by French and English adults with learning disabilities and local school children in a five-day 45 mile sponsored walk from Sussex to Normandy.

They raised more than 7,000 for the appeal to build a centre for the study of environmental change called the Linklater Pavilion on the Railway Land.

Dr John Parry, chairman of the Trust, was the only member of the group to complete the whole route and his efforts raised 3,000.

Dr Parry was full of praise for everybody who took part, including 13 students from Priory School who raised more than 600 and supported a group of adults with learning disabilities.

On Friday, the fourth day of the event, 163 school children welcomed the walkers to a river festival, part-financed by the EU, as they stopped off from a route which took them from Hamsey to Newhaven.

The children, who were from Western Road, Wallands, Rodmell, Meeching Valley and Polegate primary schools, formed a giant hexagon in the footprint of the proposed environmental centre.

So far the appeal has raised 507,000 out of a required total of 750,000.

If you would like to like to make a contribution visit

www.justgiving.com/johnparrylewes or send a cheque made out to the Railway Land Wildlife Trust to 13 St Anne's Crescent, Lewes, BN7 1SB, or to find out more call 01273 471332.