Have you walked the Camino Frances? Are you ready for your next challenge? Are you looking for a path less travelled? Have you heard about the Via Francigena and want to learn more?
We are fortunate to have members from all over the world as part of the Pilgrims to Rome community. With growing interest from Australia and New Zealand in our annual conference and virtual pilgrimage, we’ve organised this special event to satisfy your curiosity and answer all your questions.
Facilitated by New Zealand publisher and former journalist Sinead Boucher, this online panel discussion will feature inspiring stories and insights from recent pilgrims across Australia and New Zealand. You’ll have the opportunity to share your experiences, seek advice, and connect with a welcoming community of like-minded adventurers from the region.
Tickets:
This event is free to Pilgrims to Rome members. If you are not a member, tickets are for a donation (min. £1, suggested £5). All donations go straight back into Pilgrims to Rome and our charitable work supporting pilgrims on their journeys on the Francigena. If you would like to become a member and enjoy the many benefits of membership, visit our membership page.
Meet the panellists
✨ Jennifer Andrewes (New Zealand): A seasoned pilgrim who has walked the Voie du Puy (France) and the Voie de Vézelay (France), in 2024 Jennifer completed the 2,400km Via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome on foot. A communicator, writer, published author and virtual pilgrimage guide, she has a book on her French pilgrimages due out early this year, with another on the Francigena to follow. Fluent in French and with basic Italian, Jennifer is always on the hunt for the ultimate croissant (though a good gelato will suffice)!
✨ Jen Barrkman (Australia): After a decade-long dream to walk the Via Francigena, Jen embarked on her pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome in 2023, blending walking with boats, buses, and trains. A Vipassana meditator and Playback theatre practitioner, she also chronicled her journey with daily haikus, offering a unique and creative perspective on the pilgrimage experience.
✨ Paddy Burgin (New Zealand): Paddy lives in Wellington, the seaside capital of Aotearoa New Zealand where he makes acoustic guitars, plays lots of music and occasionally exercises his journalistic pen. He has hauled his backpack over many mountain passes around New Zealand and in the last two years solo walked the Via Francigena and across Hungary on the Blue Trail (with tent). The best t shirt he has seen recently was worn by a tourist struggling up some ancient steep stairwell in Budapest which simply said: “never stop exploring”.
Meet the facilitator
✨ Sinead Boucher (New Zealand): Sinead is the Owner and Publisher of Stuff Group, which encompasses the country’s leading New Zealand website stuff.co.nz; daily and community newspapers, magazines and the social network Neighbourly. A former journalist and outdoors enthusiast who swims year-round at her local Worser beach in Wellington, last year she walked the 780km Camino Frances with her 81 year-old father, Sean, and her sister Fiona. The moment she finished she wanted to do another and has set her sights on the Via Francigena.
Event highlights
Discover the magic of the Via Francigena through personal stories.
Connect with experienced pilgrims for practical advice and tips.
Share your own experiences or plans in a relaxed, friendly space.
Event Times Across Australia and New Zealand
Sunday, February 23, 2025:
• London, UK: 7:00 AM
• Perth, Australia: 3:00 PM
• Brisbane, Australia: 5:00 PM
• Sydney, Australia: 6:00 PM
• Auckland, New Zealand: 8:00 PM
Register now and join us for an inspiring evening celebrating the spirit of pilgrimage.
