CSJ - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Confraternity of St James of South Africa
Andree is the current Chairman of the Confraternity of St James of South Africa and is passionate about the Camino. She has walked many Caminos since 2005, including the Camino Francés, Camino Inglés, Via de la Plata, the Muxía circuit and the Voie du Puy. Andree has also served as an hospitalera and Santiago Pilgrim Office volunteer. Since 2006, she has run workshops for prospective pilgrims as well as training courses for hospitaleros/as. The Camino is very much part of her life. Now retired from corporate life, Andree volunteers at her local church serving as a lay minister, churchwarden and Treasurer.
The Bristol Group is one of our more active groups, who organise local walks, online quizzes, Practical Pilgrim Days and St James Day celebrations!
In Scotland we have been running Practical Pilgrim Days for the last few years and decided early in 2020 to set up a more formal group. We have been having monthly online meetings where we share reflections on past Camino, ideas for future Camino and plan events in Scotland (walks, Practical Pilgrim days etc.
Due to the large geographical area covered by the Scottish Group we still meet from time to time online via Zoom and Scottish members will get an email a week or so before a meeting with details. We have been able to have a few walks over the past year or so including a weekend walking part of the Northern Pilgrims' Way. We hope to plan other walks in the future. These give an opportunity for members (and others) to meet up and enjoy footsteps, fellowship and food together in the fresh Scottish air. Currently we have nearly a hundred members scattered throughout Scotland from Galloway to Ross-shire, the Western Isles to Berwick and many points in between! If you are interested in joining in, or have any suggestions about events or ideas for meeting up please get in touch. Similarly if you have completed your Camino (1st, 2nd or …) and would like to share your thoughts with others, or are planning a Camino, we would love to hear from you.
From the Spanish capital due north through Segovia to join the Camino Francés at Sahagún.
An alternative route from Ponferrada to avoid the crowds of the Camino Francés, running parallel through mountains.
Claimed to pre-date the Camino Francés, it starts from either Bilbao or Pamplona and runs parallel to the Camino del Norte before dropping down to join the Francés at Villafranca del Bierzo.
A tributary route from León on the Camino Francés to Oviedo at the start of the Camino Primitivo.
A tributary route between San Vicente de la Barquera on the Camino del Norte through the Picos de Europa national park to Mansilla de las Mulas on the Camino Francés.
Most commonly from Porto, though you can start in Lisbon, with several variants staying either inland or on the coast. Read more
Camino Zamorano Portugués From Zamora via the Portuguese city of Bragança to Verín on the Camino Sanabrés. Read more
Group leader, Catherine Wareing, has been working hard in her local island community to promote local pilgrimage through online talks and events.
Fr Javier Aparicio is former Prior of the community of Rabanal del Camino, where the CSJ runs its Refugio Gaucelmo on the Camino Francés. Fr Javier served for many years at the Monasterio San Salvador del Monte Irago, next door to our refuge, and has been a great friend to the CSJ and ambassador for pilgrimage to Santiago for many years. He now continues his work for the order of Saint Ottilien and their monasteries around the world.
Geneva to Le Puy Connecting Switzerland with the start of the Chemin du Puy. Read more
Helen is a chartered accountant, having training with global accounting firm Grant Thornton, supporting local government, not for profit and commercial organisations, most recently based in Madrid. Outside of work Helen is passionate about travel and positively impacting local communities in the process. Walking her first Camino de Santiago in 2019 had a hugely positive impact on her life and since has been passionate about promoting and encouraging others to experience its magic.
The Welsh Group have their own excellent monthly News Bulletins and hold regular Zoom Meetings, as well as talks and walks connected with pilgrimage, on the last Sunday of every month. The group is active across Wales, and also enjoys the activities of neighbouring groups such as Ultreia Mancunia.
For a recording of the lecture on medieval Welsh pilgrimage given by Dr Andrew Breeze of Navarre University, please contact the office.
I have been heavily involved with Refugio Gaucelmo at Rabanal along with my mother, Julie Davies, the hospitalero coordinator. I look forward to supporting the CSJ and its members.
Addendum - just to add my thanks to Marilyn for arranging this walk and the accommodation for some of us. It was a great weekend which Judy and I really enjoyed, despite Judy's groin strain! If anyone in Scotland has any other ideas for walks please get in touch. We hope to do more walks and other events in the future and where possible in conjunction with the Scottish Pilgrim Routes Forum.
Oxford Pilgrim Studies Network - who put together a conference in 2019 on Pilgrimage and the Senses, which the CSJ was involved with.
I joined the CSJ in 1992 before walking the Camino Frances from Le Puy-en-Velay to Santiago. Subsequently, I have walked along the Camino del Norte and the Via de la Plata. I am now the Chair of the Miraz Committee, having volunteered as hospitalera for many years. I have been involved with the organisation of the AGM, and the Camino, Miraz and the CSJ are a huge part of my life.
I have been an office volunteer since 2003, and spent 2 weeks in Santiago in 2013 as an "Amigo." I have walked several caminos to date and hope to do more in the future. I have been a trustee since the 2015 AGM.
I became a member whilst on a long-term pilgrimage from St Neot (Cornwall) to Santiago, which took 8 years in fortnightly slots. I was appointed Treasurer in 2004 and have continued in that role ever since. I have actively supported the activities of the CSJ over the years, including several spells as hospitalero at Miraz.
A relatively new group who have been meeting on Zoom throughout the pandemic and are now beginning to organise their own walks and trips! Email Wendy to find out more.
The Hampshire Regional Group was set up during the pandemic, meeting regularly on Zoom to chat about Caminos past and future! Many members of the group then became involved, during 2021, in helping Robin Dorkings and the Thames Valley Regional Group to improve mapping and signing of St James' Way from Reading to Southampton. There has also been interest in the link from Southampton to Portsmouth, along the Solent Way. This interest has continued into 2022, with an official opening of the route, and completion of the new sign-posting.
The group also enjoys its links with the Sussex RG, sharing news of events on either side of the border.
Job Titles:
- Charity Who Mentor and Coach
Young Star Mentoring - a charity who mentor and coach young people who have recently left care. Each year they take a group on the camino as a means of teaching them leadership, teamwork, self-worth and respect.