Many of you will have known Pat Norman. She supported me as my PA throughout my 17 year stint as University Secretary. She was an exceptional colleague of immense warmth and integrity. As well as being an outstanding colleague professionally she became a very close friend to all of our family. Our daughters, when they rang the office, always got a lot more sense out of Pat than they did out of Dad!
Linda and I were devastated when, in November 2019, Pat called us to tell us that she been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Early in 2020, Covid struck, and it became extremely difficult to see each other. Sadly, Pat passed away before the end of that year in December 2020, and we were unable to attend her funeral due to the Covid restrictions.
When we ‘attended’ Pat’s funeral virtually we vowed would try to do something in her memory. During her relatively short illness Pat, in common with some of our other close friends, had gained great support from Strathcarron Hospice and so we decided we would once again raise funds for the Hospice. Pat had always been a great supporter of our fundraising activities, and enthusiastically followed our daft blogs. Her many comments encouraged us, and kept us going even on the wettest of days. Indeed, we know from her husband, Peter, that on one of their campervan excursions they visited Santiago de Compostela because Pat was so keen to see the destination of our previous pilgrimages.
Because of this we are returning to the Camino. Our first Camino started in Le Puy en Velay, crossed France to San Jean Pied de Port on the edge of the Pyrenees, and continued across Spain, via Pamplona,, Burgos, and the hills of Galicia. In 2017, we returned to the Camino to cycle from Seville to Santiago on the Via de La Plata across Andalusia, Extremadura, and the Hills of Galicia. This time we are cycling the Camino Del Norte from Irun (just east of San Sebastian) to Oviedo where we join the Camino Primitivo, and continue to Santiago, via the hills of Asturias and Galicia.
Where there’s a will 