Sark walkers the day after their Itex effort. (0591550)

WALKERS from Sark played their part in Saturday’s Itex Walk in Guernsey and four of them completed the full 40 miles – a quite magnificent feat, if readers will excuse the deliberate and convenient play on words.

In common with all those who took part, the Sark walkers had sponsorship in mind – it certainly can’t have been pleasure if the aching limbs and muscles I saw the following day are anything to go by – and the objective was to help raise funds for the island’s playschool.

Rod and Ellie Lalor, June McGinty and Liz Elmont (more of her later) all completed the course while Julie Barker, Paula Williams, Lydia Bourne, Sam Higham, Kim and Luke Carre and Leanne Williams all walked as far as they could.

They met up again on Sunday morning at Kristina Southern’s, La Petite Poule tea garden, where they toasted their achievement – and raised some additional sponsorship from several visitors who thought they’d just popped in for a morning coffee – with a glass or three of Buck’s Fizz and exchanged information on which bits of their body ached the most.

But aches and pains apart, they apparently enjoyed the experience and several of them told me that it gave them the opportunity to see – some for the first time – parts of Guernsey they’d neither seen nor enjoyed before.

I used to get the same sort of impressions from those who completed similar walks in Jersey and, given that Sark residents – along with many thousands of annual visitors – often argue that there is nothing to match Sark when it comes to the beauty of its coastline, a charity walk around this very lovely neck of the woods would give a lot of pleasure to many. It’s only a thought but with the sort of fund-raising expertise resident in this most industrious and generous of communities, there might well be merit in taking this idea further. With their share of the monies raised, the Sark walkers intend devoting the funds to a new climbing frame for the playschool, along with a safety covering for the ground of the play area – a cause which is both worthwhile and useful.

Next month many Sark children intend doing a half-mile walk in aid of Dr Barnardo’s and the proceeds of the raffle being held to coincide with this will also go to the playschool equipment fund. That walk is part of a Dr Barnardo’s fun day which will include face painting, tombola and a cake stall.

This time she will be raising money for Dogs for the Disabled by doing something called the Trek Machu Picchu – according to her, a walk of about 100 kilometres for which she will be away about 10 days.

She can be sponsored at www.justgiving.com/lizelmont – handy for UK taxpayers making donations because justgiving will claim 28% gift aid from the UK Treasury – or direct to her in Sark.

As I have said many times before, there doesn’t seem anywhere else in the world to match the Channel Islands for generosity, no matter what the cause, or for those who are willing to put themselves out – and walking 40 miles around Guernsey or traipsing the mountains of Peru really does amount to putting yourself out – for the benefit of those less fortunate.

On Saturday the Sark Theatre Group are staging Moulin Rouge at the Island Hall to raise money – that seems to be the theme this week – for a portable stage for the hall and Sark School.

However, it’s not just a night out at the theatre because the £18 entrance charge includes a three-course French dinner. The doors open at 7pm but anyone intending to go should contact the Island Hall first on 832666 to check ticket availability. There are also events towards the end of this month which make a worthwhile day out in Sark.

On 25 and 26 there is the Midsummer Produce Show at the Island Hall while that weekend – on 27 and 28 June in Guernsey and here in Sark on 29 June – there is the 10th– anniversary Lord’s Taverners cricket match. Without putting too fine a point on it, Sark looks the place to be at the end of the month.

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