In February, 24 Leeds University students set of from Leeds to Amsterdam using any transport that was free, relying on only the kindness and generosity of strangers. The event was organised by the Leeds University Raise and Give Society in aid of the Refugee Council. Two of the participants, Charlotta Skule and Charlie Staniforth reflect on their adventure.

Charlie: A hitchhike to Amsterdam. The idea of hitchhiking to anywhere at all seemed like a scary prospect, but there was something about the Leeds RAG (Raise and Give) challenge that drew me in from the start.

The experience offered a perfect opportunity to both witness the delights of one of the world’s most beautiful capitals and raise money for a worthy cause at the same time by participating in a crazy challenge.

And it was just that. The days spent hitching from the University of Leeds to Amsterdam involved a whistle-stop tour of Belgium and the Netherlands. For the challenge itself, myself and my team were completely dependent on the kindness of strangers to reach our destination. With three trains, a ferry, six cars and lots and lots of walking (as it turned out) being required to reach Amsterdam, we found that these strangers really helped us out in what was a brilliant experience that I will never forget.

Charlotte: Refugees make much more arduous journeys than we did but we thought this might be a good way to spread awareness; not just as we fundraised but also as we crossed borders along our journey. As a challenge leader I can say it has been a most rewarding experience. The support and encouragement we received from the Refugee Council was incredible and made such a huge difference to our participants confidence.

Want to challenge yourself to raise money for us? Find out how here.