A challenge fuelled by grit, luck and beating the odds...

I can never fully express my gratitude to our veterans, servicemen and women in service who dedicate their lives to protect what we hold so dear—our homes and our loved ones.

I do this because I love my home in Poltava, eastern part of Ukraine. Our garden bursting with roses, strawberries, and raspberries that I would pick during the summer, the school I attended, and the streets I once walked. My heart aches knowing my five-year-old niece struggles to fall asleep, seeking her mother’s reassurance that tonight won’t be like that terrifying night when a drone exploded on a nearby street. This personal challenge is dedicated to our veterans and those who give their lives to protect our lives.

Now, onto the challenge! Those who know me will attest that I consider sports to be a mild form of torture—except for cycling, but only at a reasonable distance and definitely not up a hill! I’ve signed up to walk with Ukraine’s veterans team in the Scottish Highlands’ Cateran Yomp https://events.armybenevolentfund.org/cateranyomp/cateranyomp-route. I am fundraising for the Carpathian Yomp, a new initiative that stems from the Cateran Yomp, set to take place in western Ukraine this August https://yomp.mysport.org.ua/en/carpathian-yomp-veteranskyj-marsh-kydok-na-dovgu-dystantsiyu/. This is a volunteer-funded event for veterans from Ukraine, the US, and the UK participating together.

I would be extremely grateful for your support—it means a lot to me and to the veterans who will have the opportunity to come together in nature, united by the strengths and struggles they endure throughout their careers. The funds raised will benefit a UK-registered charity called British-Ukrainian Aid, which will target use of the funds for the Carpathian Yomp. For more information on British-Ukrainian Aid, please visit this website https://british-ukrainianaid.org