Page 20 - QARANC Vol 14 No 12 2016

18 QARANC THE GAZETTE
Mountain Madness!
Hosanna House and Children’s
Pilgrimage Trust (HCPT) Easter
Pilgrimage 2015
Group 720 – Armed Services Support Group
On Monday 6th April 2015, seven members of adult nursing cohort 04/13 (all members of QARANC) departed DSHE Birmingham and joined HCPT for their annual children’s’ pilgrimage to Lourdes. Led by Anthony McEwen (a retired Captain, Royal Navy) and Lieutenant Commander BJ Swires QARRNS RN, the newly formed Support Group 720 assembled in anticipation at Gatwick airport at the relatively sociable hour of 0630. Being an adult only team we were lucky enough to enjoy the calm before the storm on a peaceful flight into Lourdes airport, where we met our coach and were driven the short distance to our hotel. Also staying at The Paradis were the 2 Royal Naval HCPT groups, from Portsmouth and Plymouth, whilst the Army and RAF were just down the street.
Having settled into our well-appointed two person rooms, the team shared a first meal before heading out for a first glimpse at Lourdes. Whilst this initial rally was designed as an orientation session it quickly became apparent that this would be a week of endless (and delicious) French bread - best to write off the diet from the outset.
The origins of Lourdes as a place of pilgrimage began in 1858, when the young girl who came to be known as St Bernadette is believed to have seen eighteen visions of the Virgin Mary. Despite having a population of only 15000, Lourdes accommodate 5 million pilgrims each season and had the greatest number of hotels per square foot outside
Paris. This unusual mixture of small town and huge tourist population is immediately obvious as you walk around, with hotels, cafes and shops selling a myriad of tourist oddities lining the streets. If you can imagine a Catholic keepsake, you can find it in Lourdes. At the centre of all this lie the Domain, the Basilica and Grotto. This area, under control of the church, retains its peaceful atmosphere and is in sharp contrast to the apparent excesses of the surrounding shopping areas. The Basilica was especially beautiful, bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Sleeping Beauty’s Disney castle, and the Grotto, the place where Mary is believed to have appeared to Bernadette, has retained its calmness and it is rare that pilgrims cannot be found in prayer and adoration in its immediate vicinity.
The Armed Services have been involved in the HCPT pilgrimages since 1979 when the Royal Navy supplied a group of volunteer trainees to act as baggage handlers on the trains which carried the pilgrimage groups to Lourdes. The Royal Air Force and Army have since established groups and their common aim is to support the families of fellow servicemen and women whose youngsters have disabilities whether these are physical, mental or social. A trip with HCPT at Easter offers a chance for the youngsters to enjoy a special holiday, filled with activities designed to appeal to their age group, whilst giving the helpers a chance to experience first hand the responsibilities of caring for someone much less