The Bishop of Oxford has announced that his feet were only ‘lightly toasted’ following a charity walk on hot coals.
The Rt. Rev. John Pritchard, a law alumnus of St Peter’s, completed his challenge on Saturday in front a 200 strong crowd. His efforts have raised nearly £1000 for the Churchill Hospital’s Sobell Hospice.
After the walk, the Bishop said ‘What’s a bit of fear and toasted feet for something as important as Sobell?’
The walk happened at Oxford Rugby Club, where participants had to walk over 1200 degree coals. In total, around 50 fundraisers took part in Satuday’s event, which also raised money for child bereavement charity SeeSaw.
Firewalking – a tradition that dates back to Iron Age India – involves walking over hot materials quickly enough for them not to induce a burn.
It carries several dangers, however, including misjudged pace or a poor choice of material. In 2002, 20 Australian KFC managers were treated for burns after walking too slowly over burning timber, a more efficient heat conductor than coal.
A similar incident took place four years earlier, when a group of insurance salesmen mistook red hot coals for gently glowing embers. The walk had been arranged as part of a motivational course.
One second year student at Oxford university commented, ‘I admire the Bishop’s commitment to this great cause and am glad he didn’t burn his feet.’
