Kestrels wheeling over the trees is an abiding memory of our fundraising walk; along with many branches heavy with elderflower blossoms and tall yellow irises bobbing beside the slowly meandering Brent River.

Excitement came beside a lock on the Grand Union Canal as we watched entranced while two boaters struggled to remove a large tree trunk blocking the lock gate they wanted to get their canal boat through. They did succeed after quite some time.

Sixteen of us met at Spire Café in St Pauls Church then walked along the high street where modern apartment blocks are replacing bland, low rise 1960’s shops under flats, which in turn replaced more spacious and individual Victorian stores.

From the high street we walked through a pedestrian square onto the canal basin and across a bridge spanning the gauging locks where in the past barges carrying heavy loads paid their toll to travel to Birmingham.

The Grand Union Canal itself is beautiful, lined with mature trees and rich with birds. It felt like we were in the countryside way outside London; yet we could hear the distant sound of the M4 motorway.

After that lock with the large tree trunk we turned off onto the Brent River and under the towering viaduct designed by Victorian civil engineering genius Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The afternoon we walked through a series of wildlife meadows where we saw those soaring kestrels, to Greenford station and trains home.

Thank you to everyone who has sponsored our walkers. There is still time to support us at www.justgiving.com/campaign/southernwalk2025

The money we raise is funding kitting out en-suite bedrooms in our new training centre in Jos. Beds, mattresses, pillows, sheets, duvets, chairs and desks, mirrors, showers, basins, toilets  and towels – all that our overnight guests will need.