John Lovelock's
Sponsored Walks for Manning's Pit

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John Lovelock lives in Pilton and attends the Rose Hill Activity Centre in Bideford, part of the Northam Care Trust.  He is also a member of the Abbey Gateway Club that meets at Pilton Community College most Friday evenings.
John has a number of health problems, but that did not stop him from wanting to do a sponsored walk for Manning's Pit.

He has already supported Twinkle with her amazing fund-raising effort, and Twinkle joined him on part of his walk to return the favour.

John loves acting and at the Rose Hill Film Awards in 2016 won best actor for his part in Oxygenicide, as well as joint best director in Twickers World, 2018, where he also plays numerous parts.

He is the youngest son of the scientist James Lovelock, the brother of Christine Lovelock (Chair of the Friends of Manning's Pit) and he and all his family have supported the Save Manning's Pit Campaign.

Here is John saying why he wants to do his walk:

John also wrote a poem about Manning's Pit back in 2018. Here it is:

John's Poem

Manning's Pit is a seasonal place

Where everyone loves its grace

Where children play amongst the flowers

And old folk are dreaming all the hours

It's a place that everyone knew

And everyone hopes the dream
 will come true.

John's Training Update

New Year's Day Drama:

As many who follow our Facebook page know, John has been combining his training with the delivery of our Newsletter. He went out on New Year's Day to do this, but ended up in the Accident and Emergency Department of North Devon Hospital following a nasty dog bite.
John had already planned to walk round the Hospital as part of his route, so this extra visit felt like part of his training!

What relevance does the Hospital have to our campaign? Well, for a start, Manning's Pit is very close to the Hospital, and more than once the Air Ambulance has landed in the fields. This one (above) in May 2017 came when John himself had a serious medical emergency.

Anyway, back to 2020, after the dog bite had been treated, see photo above, John was out again delivering leaflets two days later, sporting a smart bandage on the injured finger and this time using a wooden spatula to push the newsletters though letter boxes, as suggested by a supporter on Facebook.

Map of John's route - click to see full map

John walked up and down the Bradiford Valley, going through Manning's Pit and Tutshill Woods, calling at Blakewell Waterside Cafe for a cup of coffee. It's a great place to sit and watch the fish and other wild life
On his return he went up Shearford Lane and around North Devon Hospital,  (scene of his recent visit to A and E) then back by Northfield Lane to Lynbro Road, down through Manning's Pit again, along by Hall's Mill Lane to Bradiford and across the fields by the river to Pottington, where you can get a distant view of the Devon Birds Preservation Society Reserve. 
The final stretch was up Chaddiford Lane, along Bellaire and down Church Lane and Pilton Street to the Yeo Dale Hotel to finish under the BUY Manning's Pit Banner, in what has become the traditional way!

The walk took place on the 17th January, 2020

You can sponsor John online though his Charity Checkout Fundraiser page, see below: