U3A - The Bude and District U3A held their monthly Open Meeting at the Parkhouse centre on 20 March. Before welcoming the speaker Mr David Snelling of “Operation Henry”, the new Chair, Sylvia Henry announced that the Learning Shop at Princes Street Bude is due to close on 31 July. Dan Rogerson, MP for north Cornwall has launched a campaign to keep it open. A special case is to be made for Bude as it is so far from any other college. A petition is being circulated in the town and members were asked to sign the petition or write to Dan Rogerson at his surgery in Launceston, ASAP.
David Snelling from Ivybridge introduced himself as a 'Stroke' patient who had a dream! He wanted to do something to help people suffering from the effects of old age, sickness or disability where there is also a financial need, specially in cases of cancer related treatment, particularly pancreatic, oesophagus and stomach cancers. He also felt help was needed in the community for those requiring assistance to carry out obligations, eg .visits to dentists, hospitals, GPs, shopping and even natural disasters.
David's idea was formulated in 1997, to be carried out in the millennium year but it wasn't until 2002 that his dream came to fruition. Preparations actually started in 1998. The first priority was to obtain funding to set up a Trust. He decided to do a six months sponsored trek over the mountainous terrain of the Pyrenees along one of the historical 9th C. pilgrims Caminos (routes) that was set up in 1130 AD. The route would start from Le Puy-en-Velay in France and finish at Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain, walking via Veselay and Arles, a distance of 2000 miles, as he was planning to do it in 2000.
David was told he needed a mule to carry equipment and after much deliberation he bought Henry a hinney from Ashburton. (He informed us that a hinney's father is a horse and the mother is a donkey!) Several months of the summer were spent bonding with Henry and several more months training him on Dartmoor as Henry had to learn to carry packs with heavy equipment. Henry had to have leather shoes specially designed for him made of leather with rubber soles. His saddle was adapted from a British Army saddle which weighed in at 148 lbs. and which David, with help from a carpenter & others from a horse eventing team adapted to reduce the weight which David felt was too great for Henry. He would have to carry 124lbs in weight and that would have to include water for David who needed to drink a litre of water every two hours. Interestingly enough Henry would not drink from a trough in spite of being shown several. He would only drink from streams or rivers. David thought he got a lot of the moisture he needed from the fodder/grass/corn he was eating.
With winter coming on David had to wait until the following March, when the snows had disappeared, to drive his car to France and follow the route to arrange accommodation. He needed somewhere for Henry as well as somewhere to pitch a tent for himself. He knocked on peoples doors and asked for accommodation for Henry and himself
when he did the walk. People were very generous and he received many a donation as well as being told he could have free accommodation when the time came.
On his return David had a stroke so the walk had to be postponed. However, volunteers came forward to start fundraising. A year later the doctors decided he could go, but he would need companions on the walk and they had to be taught how to look after Henry.
Departure had to be postponed yet another year because of Foot & Mouth disease but eventually they set off on 2nd April 2002. They walked 2000 km travelling an average of 12 miles a day in 26 day stages and it took 4 months, two in France and two in Spain finishing at Santiago de Compostela where he received the coveted Compostela Certificate.
The initial idea of David's millennium fundraising journey evolved into a grant giving charitable organisation, the
“Operation Henry Trust” which was consolidated by his 2002 charity expedition for cancer care and research.
As well as raising funds for the Trust David wanted to experience the way of life of a pilgrim. He wanted to record his observations and experiences to educate, inform and generate interest in the Trust. Finally, he hopes he has established a family tradition that will be perpetuated down the through the generations to create a cherished heirloom, that of 'taking time out' in life, recording the experience and passing it on.
David was thanked by the chair for giving such an extremely interesting and humorous account of his journey. Applause was given also to his young technical advisor, Dennis Bruce, who was one of four students at Ivybridge Community College who put together the Power Point Presentation so efficiently.
For more information go to his website. www.operationhenry.com
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