Jack raises £561 for Manning’s Pit

(October 12 update – his fundraising page remains open and he plans to keep on walking, so you can still donate: https://buymanningspit.enthuse.com/pf/jacksfundraisingwalk )

As featured in this week’s North Devon Journal, three year old Jack Robery first came to Manning’s Pit with his mother, Marianne Hunt, about three weeks ago, and they fell in love with the place. When they heard Manning’s Pit could be sold and lost to the public, they decided to do a fund raising walk.

Here is Jack, entering Manning’s Pit for the first time through the Lynbro Road Kissing Gate entrance.

They set up a fund raising page for us about a week ago, and money came in fast. By around 11 oclock this morning Jack had passed his target of £500.

Jack arrives just after 12, dressed up in a Super Hero outfit, excited and ready to do his walk. Marianne, is just behind.

Before the start, Jack was presented with a prize by Friends Of Manning’s Committee Member Kate because he had also won First Prize in the 6 and Under Category of our Poster Competition.

Here he is, with his prize. More photos and information to follow. His fund raising page remains open and can be found here: https://buymanningspit.enthuse.com/pf/jacksfundraisingwalk

There were joint first prize winners in the older category of the Poster Competition. One of the joint winners, Hope Gleeson, wasn’t able to be there, but the other, Tansy Ward, came to receive her prize from Committee member Kate Shaw.

Here is Tansy, receiving her prize.

Jack was eager to start his walk, and he and Marianne set off down the hill towards Manning’s Pit bridge.

Going down to Manning’s Pit bridge

Marianne had also kindly donated a hamper of sweets to a Raffle so that each person who donated to Jack’s walk received one ticket into the Raffle. After spending some time on the bridge, watching the water rush by underneath – the river is higher than normal after all the rains we have been having – Jack was asked to pick a ticket out of the container. The owner of the winning ticket was Brian Mulholland.

Jack is about to pick the winning ticket out of the box…

Tansy and her brother Alex came down as well and the three children had a great time running around together. Tansy was only four when our campaign began, and now she is nine – let’s hope we have managed to buy Manning’s Pit before she is a teenager!

The sign Alex was holding up said something like: Jack, Manning’s Pit’s Own Super Hero

After the other children had gone, Jack’s grandfather turned up and here are the three of them:

Marianne, Jack and Jack’s grandfather/

We had thought this walk would be enough for a three year old, but it wasn’t enough for Super Hero Jack – just like our motto of Onwards and Upwards, he was soon up and running off to do a full lap of all the land that is for sale.

Here is Jack on the other side of the river, at the entrance of the rope swing field. Alongside him is John Lovelock, who did a sponsored walk for us back in January.

Our last photo shows Jack at the far end of the field, having finished a complete tour of the land that is for sale. Not a bad trek for a three year old! Let us all hope and pray that sometime soon this land will be owned for ever for the benefit of the wildlife and the people who love this very special place.

Marianne and Jack, at the furthest end of the field.

Jack has raised £561 so far, but his fundraising page is still open for donations, so please go it if you would like to add something more: https://buymanningspit.enthuse.com/pf/jacksfundraisingwalk

Or for more information about our campaign in general – go to http://www.manningspit.com