I decided to pay a visit to watch the Procession of Witnesses through my local town centre which congregate for a service before the Town Hall before beginning their march. The first thing I came across was an old bus, destination Christchurch, with a banner imploring forgiveness. The central tenet, however, was "Love One Another". As usual for the last Monday in May it was overcast and chilly with a hint of rain in the air and at this stage the attending crowd was less a crowd and more of a huddle.

Everywhere you looked people were carrying balloons, or sticking them on cars with the day's message-

More and more people arrived, many in their 20's and 30's with young children, all dressed casually and not, as I suspected, part of the crowd of onlookers but intent on participation in the march.

Gradually the crowd increased and a number of floats parked up, populated with churchgoers, ready to lead the march once the service had been held at the town hall.

Whilst the crowd was gathering I made my way from the sidelines to near the front of the onlookers, ready for the service to begin. These were no gawking strangers, like myself, but members of congregations who came to join in the hymns and prayers and cheer on their own church's participants in the march.

A matronly figure in her late 50's passed me by, handing out religious brochures, as she drew level she paused briefly and spoke:

"Are you here for the service or just the photographs?"

" A little bit of both I suspect"

She handed me a brochure - "Remember Jesus loves you!"

" I doubt it, I have sinned rather a lot"

"Well what was he here for?" and with that questioning statement was on her way.

The service began, prayers were said and I bowed my head in respect, refraining from photographing anyone at their prayers. There was an incredible sense of unity and togetherness emanating from the crowd, the sun shone and the choir on the Town Hall steps began a hymn. The sense of isolation was almost a nerve breaker. Whilst the theme was "Love One Another", I certainly felt no love flowing over me, rather it was as if a shared joke was being passed round at my expense, with pleasure in the knowing for everyone but myself. I walked slowly back to the sidelines and waited for the procession to start.

Certainly some demonstrated their love for one another, whilst many seemed to want to hide from the onlookers.

Whilst others appeared to get no pleasure at all-

Some gained from it in more tangible ways, be it a mask of serenenity

Or mutual delight in finding one another along the way.