Thank you for being a guide! Our guided pilgrimages are an important part of what we do. They introduce more people to the practice of modern pilgrimage. They raise vital funds to keep us going and deliver our wider work, such as our free route resources. By volunteering as a guide, you are helping us reach more people, in more parts of the country, and expand our activities wider than we ever could on our own.
We have created this resource bank of bite-size segments to help you plan your own guided pilgrimages. It’s a work in progress; we’ll keep adding more content as things develop. If you feel there is something missing, let us know so we can add it. You’ll find a quick overview of items in the videos, and in-depth guides in the the linked pages.
Don’t forget to fill out your training log when you have completed a section.
Getting Started
Choosing a Route
What do you need to bear in mind when choosing a route? How can you make sure it includes all the necessary elements, from the practical, to the spiritual?
Information needed to set up an event
Check the form in advance of planning your route so you know what to include. We’ll discuss your route with you, and you’ll be able to make changes to it if you need to.
Timescales
Please allow plenty of time between submitting your form and the date of your pilgrimage. This allows us to process the information, check on anything that needs clarification, and leave enough time to promote and book tickets.
| When pilgrimage will take place: | Submission Deadline: |
| March 2022 | December 31, 2021 |
| April – June 2022 | January 31, 2022 |
| July – September 2022 | April 31, 2022 |
| October – December 2022 | July 31, 2022 |
Safe, Suitable, Sensible
What can you do to keep pilgrims safe on their journey? How to prepare, advise and respond.
Protecting Pilgrims’ Data
As a guide, you will hold pilgrims’ confidential information, protected by law. What are your responsibilities?
Open to All
Find out about our values and how we aim to make everyone feel welcome and included on our guided pilgrimages.
Pilgrimage Content
We currently offer two main types of pilgrimage. Silent Pilgrimages are fully silent between the start point and destination. Guided Pilgrimages involve a variety of content delivered by guides, such as stories, songs or other practices that may require communicating with the group.
Silent Pilgrimages
Silent pilgrimages are a unique experience, where other than a welcome from the guide the whole day is silent until reaching the destination. It requires a particular skill set to guide a group without speaking, but the journey is rewarding in very different ways.
Guided Pilgrimages
Other Useful Information
Signing Up Support
We don’t expect you to do a sales pitch, but sometimes pilgrims find they have been so inspired by their experience with you that they want to know more about how they can get involved. Here is all the information you need in one place so you can answer their questions.
Follow Ups
After the pilgrimage, we send a follow up message to our pilgrims. This is a really lovely way to cement their relationship with BPT, ensure a longer lasting experience, encourage repeat pilgrims and generate more support.
All you need to do is draft a message which the admin team can send out on your behalf. This can be as simple as a “thanks for coming” but the more tailored you make it to the group the more impactful it will be. A photo of the group, a copy of a song or poem you may have shared, or where to find information about questions you couldn’t answer. Lastly we include a fundraising message to encourage our pilgrims to sign up as friends or join the mailing list. We also invite feedback from pilgrims.
You can send your follow up message to guides@britishpilgrimage.org
If Things Go Wrong
It’s really unlikely you will encounter any problems, but here are useful tips and tools for preventing issues arising, and had how to tackle things if they do go wrong.