A CHIPPENHAM clergyman carried about a quarter of his body weight to the top of Wick Hill and back to show solidarity with the Ethiopian women who walk miles for wood to sell for a meal.

Carrying firewood for hours just to feed your children one meal may seem distant in Wiltshire, but the experience was brought closer to home for St Peter's priest in charge Andy Gubbins, 49, on Saturday.

He carried 20kg of firewood on his back as he trudged 10 miles up to the Maud Heath monument and back in the Walk against Want.

He said the children from St Peter's School were good enough to check the weight of his bag, and 'put a few extra logs in to make sure'.

The priest in charge was offered moral support by about 25 other Christian Aid supporters, and believes they have collectively raised thousands of pounds for the charity.

He alone has raised £530, while Molly the labrador, belonging to former St Peter's vicar Jeremy Bray and his wife Vicky, has boosted the total a further £400.

The Rev Gubbins said: "The hardest part was having to come down from the hilltop and realise I still had five miles to carry the bag home."

He was briefly relieved at the summit by the Rev Rod Key of Chippenham church St Andrew’s. "That was the best moment, when my colleague turned up and took the bag," said the Rev Gubbins. "I hadn't realised how much I'd been looking down at my feet, until with no bag on my back I could spot the lovely view."

He left St Paul's Church on Malmesbury Road at 9.30am and he returned to St Peter's Church at Lords Mead six hours later, after having a buffet lunch in Langley Burrell provided by Christian Aid volunteers.

Mr Gubbins said: "With the weight bearing down on me, I got a feel for what it's like for some of the widows and working mothers of Ethiopia who have a very lowly status and walk many miles to gather wood and hope to sell it on their way back.

"We don't realise just how vulnerable half the world is."

This Christian Aid Week, May 10-16, more than 1,000 volunteers across Wiltshire are set to take part in Britain’s longest running door-to-door fundraising week to raise money for its vital work with communities like those in Ethiopia.
Donations can be made online at www.caweek.org or by calling 08080 006 006 or texting ‘WEEK’ to 70040 to give £5.