Ukraine fundraiser: Havelock North High School's 'walk to Ukraine challenge'

Front Tom Hooper and Agyeiwaa Tabi-Amponsah. Back, left to right, Tarang Kant, Daniel Cunningham, Eddie O'Reilly, George Field and Oscar Campbell. Photo / Paul Taylor

Havelock North High students are not just talking the talk, they will be walking the walk by undertaking a 'walk to Ukraine challenge' to fundraise for the European country undergoing a humanitarian crisis.

A group of students, who are known as 'Forum', brainstormed ways to assist the Havelock North community to provide assistance to those caught up in the crisis.

Head girl Rakairoa Joyce said it was easy to feel removed from the situation and powerless being so far away.

"We understood that a lot of students and families would be feeling this way so we wanted to create an event that could involve everyone."

Forum devised the 'HNHS Walk to Ukraine' challenge which takes place over the 36 hours from 7am on April 2 to 7pm on April 3.

Head boy Thomas Hooper said the challenge was open to all Havelock North High School students and their families. The goal was to cover the distance from Havelock North to Mariupol, which is 16,657 km, and raise at least $16,657.

"It's also a chance to come together as a community to show that we care and want to offer support, even though we're a long way away."

This week an estimated 20,000 civilians fled Mariupol by way of a humanitarian corridor in the biggest evacuation yet from the besieged Ukrainian port city, while Russian forces stepped up their bombardment of Kyiv, smashing apartments, a subway station and other civilian sites.

To donate to the HNHS Walk to Ukraine event go to the Givealittle page - givealittle.co.nz/event/hnhs2ukraine