On a summer day in late June, three teenagers from Wiltshire, England, set out on a journey most adults would shy away from—walking all the way from Salisbury Cathedral in the UK to Ukraine, covering more than 1,000 miles on foot. Now, as August draws to a close, James McCarthy-Hill, Kyle Spring, and Adam Mitchell—each just 18 years old—are approaching the Polish–Ukrainian border, their ambitious trek nearly complete. Their mission? To deliver nearly £15,000 worth of desperately needed food and cleaning products to orphanages across three Ukrainian cities.
According to BBC News, the friends began their odyssey on June 29, 2025, driven by a desire to make a tangible difference for children affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Their route wound through the heart of central Europe, with the trio spending most nights camping under the stars, occasionally treating themselves to a bed-and-breakfast every four days—mainly to recharge their power banks and, presumably, their spirits.
The idea for this grueling journey took root in May 2024, when Kyle Spring traveled with his father to Ukraine to deliver aid for his 17th birthday. That trip, Spring said, changed him. "Seeing the struggles of the soldiers in the hospitals, and then the smiles on the children's faces when we gave them stuff like oranges and bananas, it definitely changed something in me," he told BBC News. "I just wanted to help them out as much as I could."
Inspired by that experience, Spring organized a fundraising push bike ride, raising an impressive £3,000 before even setting foot on the long walk. With an initial target of £10,000 in mind, he turned to his friends for support. Out of all those he asked, only James McCarthy-Hill and Adam Mitchell said yes. And so, the three set off together, united by a common cause and a willingness to endure pain for the sake of others.
The journey was far from easy. As Adam Mitchell candidly admitted, "The walking was so painful," but he quickly added that the real struggle was a mental one. "You just have to get past it and know you are doing it for the right reasons." That sentiment, echoed by all three, became a kind of mantra as they trudged across fields and highways, through forests and towns, and over national borders.
Along the way, the teenagers encountered the challenges any long-distance traveler might expect—aches and blisters, unpredictable weather, and the occasional logistical headache. Camping became their norm, a routine that instilled both resilience and camaraderie. Every four nights, a bed-and-breakfast offered a brief respite: a hot shower, a real bed, and a chance to charge their devices and check in with loved ones back home. But even these small comforts did little to distract them from their ultimate goal.
As they neared the Polish–Ukrainian border, the scale of their achievement began to sink in. They had walked more than 1,000 miles—1,609 kilometers, to be exact. Their fundraising efforts had also surpassed expectations, reaching nearly £15,000. That money, they explained, would be spent on food and cleaning products for orphanages in three Ukrainian cities: Kharkiv, Odessa, and Vinnytsia.
The logistics of delivering the aid presented a new set of challenges. The trio planned to reach the Ukrainian border by Sunday, August 31, 2025, and were actively working out how to travel safely and efficiently within Ukraine itself. Their partner in this final leg would be Justin Ukraine Aid, a charity experienced in getting supplies to where they're needed most—even in the midst of conflict.
Once inside Ukraine, the plan was clear: distribute the supplies to orphanages in the three cities, ensuring that the donations reached children whose lives have been upended by war. The importance of this mission wasn't lost on the teenagers. For Spring, the memory of those first smiles in Ukrainian hospitals and orphanages was never far from his mind. For McCarthy-Hill and Mitchell, the walk had become a journey of both physical endurance and personal growth.
"You just have to get past it and know you are doing it for the right reasons," Mitchell reiterated to BBC News. That sense of purpose, more than anything, kept them moving forward through fatigue and self-doubt.
Throughout their trek, the friends kept their eyes on the prize: making a real, positive impact on the lives of children in a country still reeling from the effects of war. They knew their journey was only a small part of a much larger struggle, but they hoped their story might inspire others to take action, however they could.
Their route through central Europe was a test of endurance, but also a lesson in the kindness of strangers. Nights under canvas alternated with the warmth of occasional BnB hosts, and the support from people back home—friends, family, and strangers who donated to their cause—provided a steady source of encouragement. The group’s fundraising page, updated with photos and anecdotes, became a rallying point for their growing community of supporters.
As the end of their journey approached, the trio faced one final challenge: navigating the complexities of travel within Ukraine, a country still affected by conflict and instability. They worked closely with Justin Ukraine Aid to arrange safe passage to the orphanages in Kharkiv, Odessa, and Vinnytsia, determined to see their mission through to the end.
Once their work in Ukraine is complete, the friends plan to return to the UK by mid-September 2025, bringing with them not just memories of their extraordinary walk, but a renewed sense of purpose and a story to share. For now, though, their focus remains on the children they set out to help—and on the hope that their efforts, however small in the grand scheme of things, might make a lasting difference.
It's not every day that three teenagers decide to walk across a continent for charity. But for James McCarthy-Hill, Kyle Spring, and Adam Mitchell, the journey from Salisbury to Ukraine has been about more than just miles covered or money raised. It’s been a testament to the power of determination, friendship, and the belief that even the smallest acts of kindness can ripple outward in ways we can't always predict.
As they near their destination, the trio can look back on a summer spent not just walking, but walking with purpose—one step at a time, toward a brighter future for children in need.