Supporting those who need it most

BCM puts its best foot forward to mark 130 years

BCM puts its best foot forward to mark 130 years

Throughout 2019, BCM (Belfast Central Mission) is celebrating 130 years of community engagement, support and working with people all over Northern Ireland to improve their lives.

Reverend David Campton, BCM’s Superintendent, has taken on the mission to mark this significant anniversary and raise vital funds for Copelands, the organisation’s flagship project, by walking from the north shore of Belfast Lough to the eastern shores of County Down.

His symbolic walk will begin from the site of a former BCM residential project at Castlerocklands in Carrickfergus, and finish at the new Copelands site outside Millisle, where the organisation is in the process of building a £5 million purpose-built facility that will provide practice-leading residential, nursing and dementia care.

This will be carried out over the course of three days and David will use the opportunity to connect with and visit local congregations and communities, while also calling in to the various BCM Projects along the route.

David said;

“BCM has been an integral part of communities across Northern Ireland for 130 years and we want to cement that by visiting as many of them as possible. We are reaching out to our neighbours, service users, friends, families and staff alike to try and encourage and motivate me to keep my legs moving as far as Millisle.

“Our Copelands project on the Co. Down coast is undeniably the largest single project BCM has undertaken during our 130 years and it is a massive feat with an understandably representative budget – which we need to invariably raise!

“I hope to raise awareness of both BCM as an organisation that helps and supports family members and neighbours of so many around the province, while also raising awareness and funds for our flagship Copelands project and I would welcome any and all support and company along the way.”

David will begin his walk from Carrickfergus Castle carpark at 10:00am on Thursday, 22nd August 2019 and walk more than 12 miles a day with overnight stops at BCM headquarters in Belfast city centre and its project in Newtownards.

The final approach along the eastern shore of the County Down coast will include a stop off at the inaugural Copelands Summer Fete on Saturday, August 24th, which will be underway at Killard House School in Donaghadee. It is hoped that this vibrant community event will become an annual occurrence and move to be held at the Copelands site upon completion in 2020.

All funds raised will go towards the completion and fit-out of Copelands; Dementia, Nursing and Residential Care, and David can be sponsored via his JustGiving page. For more information on this project visit www.copelands.org.uk.

 

 

  TIME FROM TO DISTANCE APPROX TIME
DAY 1          
  10am Carrickfergus Castle Whiteabbey Methodist 4.5 miles 1h 30mins
  11:30am STOP 1 Whiteabbey Methodist   45mins
  12:15pm Whiteabbey Methodist Dunelm Newtownabbey 2 miles 40mins
  1pm LUNCH Dunelm Newtownabbey   1hr
  2pm Dunelm Newtownabbey Jennymount Prayer Drop-In 2.6 miles 1hr
  3pm STOP 2 Jennymount Prayer Drop-In   45 mins
  3:45pm Jennymount Prayer Drop-In HSOP Duncairn Gardens 0.8 miles 15mins
  4pm STOP 3 HSOP Duncairn Gardens   1hr
  5pm HSOP Duncairn Gardens Grosvenor Hall 1.5 miles 45mins
  5:45pm ENDS Grosvenor Hall   1hr 15mins
  7:00pm HOME      
DAY 2          
  9:45am START/WELCOME Grosvenor Hall    
  10am Grosvenor Hall East Belfast Mission 1.5 miles 45 mins
  11am STOP 1 East Belfast Mission   30 mins
  11:30am East Belfast Mission SHYP Grampian Avenue 0.6 miles 15 mins
  11:45m STOP 2 SHYP Grampian Avenue   45 mins
  12:30pm SHYP Grampian Avenue Knock Methodist 1.5 miles 30 mins
  1pm STOP 3 Knock Methodist   45 mins
  1:45pm Knock Methodist  Kirk House 0.5 miles 10 mins
  2pm STOP 4 Kirk House   1hr 15mins
  3:15pm Kirk House Regent St Methodist, Ards 6.6 miles 2 hrs 15 mins
  5:30pm ENDS Regent St Methodist, Ards    
DAY 3          
  8:30am BREAKFAST Regent St Methodist, Ards    
  9:15am Regent St Methodist, Ards Somme Museum 2 miles 45 mins
  10am STOP 1 Somme Museum   20 mins
  10:20am Somme Museum Riverside Place, Bangor 4.5 miles 1hr 30 mins
  12pm STOP 2 Riverside Place, Bangor   30 mins
  12:30pm Riverside Place, Bangor Copelands Summer Fete 4.8 miles 1hr 30 mins
  2pm STOP 3 Copelands Summer Fete   45 mins
  2:45pm Copelands Summer Fete Copelands   2 miles 45 mins
  3:30pm ENDS Copelands