To mark the start of the International Climate Conference Cop29 in Azerbaijan, a group of CCA and Laudato Si Movement pilgrims walked on a 3 day ‘Pilgrimage for the Planet’, from Durham Cathedral to Bishop Auckland.

The pilgrims walked 16 miles on the ‘Way of Life’, one of the famous Northern Saints Trails, along which St Cuthbert’s body was carried to Durham, praying for Climate Justice.

Helen carried her painted banner ‘Mother of Mercy’ and it was installed in the Auckland Tower. The Auckland Project will keep her original painting on public display there for the duration of Cop29, until November 22nd. (Free entry- opening times: 10.30am – 4pm, Wednesday – Sunday)

The pilgrims arrived at Bishop Auckland on Sunday 3rd November and local community groups met them in the Faith Garden, carrying their own homemade banner of hope, for a procession through the centre of town to the Auckland Tower.

During the afternoon the Auckland Project held a Community Open Day with craft workshops on the theme of Pilgrimage and Hope and a screening of ‘Of Walking on Thin Ice’ – Ben Wigley’s film about the Camino to Cop pilgrimage to Glasgow in 2021.

‘Of Walking On Thin Ice’ and ‘The Letter- A message for our Earth’ – inspired by Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical Laudato Si, are available to view daily in the Auckland Tower and at the Community Centre at ‘No.42’ until 22nd November.

Articles about the pilgrimage have been published in ICN, The Tablet, Durham Magazine and Living Laudato Si.