What was it for? I hadn’t done that much walking over long distances until I went to Chailey. I had recently been fitted with full length callipers and a new brace, and the new Zimmer elbow crutches, and despite the weight of all that leather and steel I was at least mobile. I was beginning to get used to St Martins and wondering what the future held, when we were told we had been invited to St. Georges. Oh! I thought a coach journey! Not likely, we were told we were to walk across the common to get there. Mr Leggatt was in charge of the escort as we crossed the main road to begin the trek. At first it seemed easy but everyone else seemed to gallop onwards while I was definitely lagging behind. The path wasn’t exactly even and the bracken was high and brown ... well russet in colour … and my over-active mind peopled it with all sorts of dangers. I seemed to be losing touch with the rest of the group, I could barely see them, and the sounds of clanking seemed distant. Swinging on my crutches wasn’t possible so I was reduced to moving one leg at a time, but my breath was getting raspy and gasping. I stopped to take a breath and to ease the grip I had on my crutches. Sweating and shaking with all this unaccustomed effort, I stood still for a moment taking the time to calm my nerves. Mr Leggatt, up in front of me, gave me some advice. “In the scouts” he said, “it’s breath in and one foot forward. Then breath out and second foot forward”. Anything was worth trying ... so I tried it and finally ended up at St. Georges totally exhausted ... last person to arrive ... but a great sense of achievement and a determination that I would never, ever, do it again. I rack my brains after all this time and still cannot remember why we trekked all that way! Probably to get a good night’s sleep!