Walk to India

The Kanji Project

1 Sea Crossing. 2 continents. 14 countries. 2,058 hours. 6,370 miles.

Brighton to Kanji.

We may have bitten off more than we can chew, but we can do it with your help and the help of all the school children attending St Anthony’s School, together with our French sister-charity, Enfants de Kanji. We’re aiming to make our way from Brighton in East Sussex across the Channel to Ferny-Voltaire in France. From there, we go all the way down to the Indian border with Pakistan for a virtual meet-up with children from St. Antony’s School.

We’re not intending literally to walk to Kanji, but with your help, we’ll be able to cover the distance.

Instead, we’ll be virtually travelling to Kanji from Brighton, and you can track our route through Google Earth here.

WHY?

To raise funds for The Kanji Project – a charity based in a small town called Kanji in rural Tamil Nadu. The charity supports a thriving school called St Antony’s, a day centre for children with severe special needs, and village outreach work including support for women’s self-help groups, medical assistance, children’s parliaments and homework clubs.
To raise awareness of the work of our amazing partners in India. St Antony’s Foundlings and the Rose Sisters. We want to spread the word about their activities in the villages around Kanji as far and wide as possible, and see this as an opportunity to do so, with your help!
To keep fit and have fun.

Get Involved – find out more about how you can support this adventure here.

View the locations we will travel through on our route through Google Earth by clicking on the link here or on the picture above.

Would you like to help us cover the 6,370 miles from Brighton to Kanji? You can help us by walking, running, swimming, or cycling some of the distance to add to our total, and together we can cross 2 continents, 14 countries, and make it St Antony’s School in Kanji, all through people power!

Simply click the link here to find out how you can sign up to help with the Walk to India, or send an email to WalkToIndia@thekanjiproject.org.uk.

Our Progress

See highlights from our supporters as they complete their activities here. Keep an eye out for new updates!

10/9/24 We Have Made it to India!

We've arrived in India and met with the SAF students at the border point between Khokropar, Pakistan, and Munabao, India! Thanks to some amazing efforts in this last stretch from supporters Bernadette, John, and Michael, as well as trustees Lesley and Jennifer, we've covered the 13 countries that bring us to India's doorstep. Munabao is small village, of only about 400 residents. However, it is also the site of a daily ceremony conducted along the border with the neighbouring village of Khokhropar, Pakistan. At 6pm every day, Indian and Pakistani soldiers face off at the border and conduct a "beating retreat", a military ceremony that originated in 17th century England and was first used to call soldiers back to their castle after battle. This ceremony takes place daily, with both Indian and Pakistani soldiers retreating back to their own sides of the border. This ceremony takes place on multiple points along the border, and is a spectacle for tourists and locals alike. Click on the image to see what these border ceremonies look like in a video on YouTube. So now we have arrived, we're in the final stretch of our walk. After reuniting with the SAF students here on the border, we need to make sure they get home safe, so help us cover the final 993 miles back down to Kanji, passing by the Idhaya College to see the Rose Sisters before finishing our journey at St Antony's Matriculation School. Not long to go, but we need your help to reach the finish line!

8/9/24 The SAF Students are Waiting for us at the India-Pakistan Border

In our final update from the St Antony's students walk, we can confirm that they have managed to cover, collectively, the almost exactly 1,000 miles between Kanji and the border point of Munabao, 5,377 miles from Brighton. They did so by walking and cycling around the school grounds, and so many of the students took part! You can see some pictures of their efforts below. We want to say a massive thank you to Lourdusamy and everyone at St Antony's who got involved, and even managed to raise some money themselves from parents and others in the community to take part. We will be meeting them very soon as we get closer to Khokhropar, on the Pakistan side of the border, but once we reach them, it wouldn't be fair to leave them there, 993 miles from home! We will therefore continue on for the final stretch, all the way back down to Kanji, to make sure the students get home safe and sound after their long journey to welcome us! If you want to help us with the final stretch, keep an eye out for more information about the final walk along Eastbourne seafront on Sunday 29th September to help us cross the finish line!

4/9/24 We Reach Sukkur, Pakistan

5,223 miles from Brighton, we reach Sukkur Pakistan. Sukkur's modern city was built in 1840, and today it is the 14th largest city in Pakistan. Prior to the Partition of India in 1947, about 70% of Sukkur's population was Hindu, and the image you can see on the right is from the island of Sadh Belo, in the middle of Sukkur city on the Indus River. Sadh Belo was settled on by Baba Bankhandi Maharaj, a 15-year-old spiritual seeker who, according to some reports, travelled from Delhi to Sukkur to find enlightenment in 1823. He settled on the island and became known as the sage of the woods. The island was just a clump of trees when Bankhandi first arrived there, but he liked the place so much that he chose it as a place to set up his dhuni (sacred fire). He constructed multiple temples around the island, and from Sadh Belo he studied and preached in the sect of 'Udasi', whose religious practices are often described an amalgamation of Sikhism and Hinduism.

30/8/24 Stories from Ashburnham Furnace

Trustee Peter has added more miles with some more cycle rides around East Sussex, this time visiting Penhurst and Ashburnham, now a very peaceful rural area, but once active in the Wealden iron industry. The cottage you can see on the right stands next to the now-abandoned site of Ashburnham furnace, a national heritage site that is home to the last ever iron furnace in Sussex. Ashburnham Furnace was finally extinguished for the last time in 1813, after what was most likely 100s of years of iron-working. The earliest ironwork in England is recorded as far back as 500AD. One interesting fact about Ashburnham Furnace is that it, along with several other furnaces in East Sussex, are responsible for the coining of the term 'treadmill'. The 1743 winter drought dried the rivers that powered the water mill bellows that helped power the furnace, and so the workers from the furnaces affected had to tread the water mill to keep the bellows in action. The main product the Ashburnham Furnace was responsible for making was canons, mostly for use by the Royal Navy. It is therefore likely that canons from Ashburnham were fitted to the HMS Severn, a frigate launched from London to fight in the 1812 war between Britain and the United States. The Severn would win a naval victory in 1815 at the Battle of Fort Peter, where she captured two American gunboats and 12 merchantmen, including the ship 'Countess of Harcourt'. The Countess was a ship from the British East India Company, which an American privateer had captured on her way from India to London, and the Severn recaptured her, likely with the support of Ashburnham canons.

28/8/24 We Cross Into Pakistan

As we approach the five month mark of our journey, we make it to our final country before reaching India! We crossed the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan near the city of Quetta, 5,010 miles or 8,062km from Brighton Pier. Quetta is the 10th largest city in Pakistan, and sits at an average elevation of 1,680 metres (5,510 feet) above sea level, making it Pakistan's highest altitude major city. It is known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the numerous fruit orchards in and around it and the large variety of fresh and dried fruits produced there. The name "Quetta" derives from the Pashto word for "Fortress", and the city has had to stand strong against many threats, most notably from earthquakes which are a common occurrence around the border region of Balochistan in Pakistan, due to the overlap of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates in the area. Quetta was almost destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1935, ranked today as the 23rd deadliest disaster in recorded history. The rescue efforts that took place in the aftermath were led by British and Indian soldiers from the colonial authorities. One Indian soldier, Hakum Dad from the 8th Punjab Regiment, was awarded the Albert Medal of Gallantry for rescuing a family from a burning house in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, and was hailed as a hero by King George V on October 29th, 1935.

23/8/24 Some Tales from Afghanistan

We are now getting very close to the border with Pakistan on our journey, so before we leave Afghanistan, trustee Lesley has some stories to tell about when she travelled across Afghanistan for real, back in 1977! Lesley writes: "In 1977 I drove with my then husband from Teheran to Kabul and back. We were teaching in Teheran at the time. Our journey took us across mountains and deserts through Herat, Kandahar and on to Kabul. My overriding memories are of the friendliness of the people whose eyes had every colour and shape imaginable, stunning, glistening mosques, abject poverty. At the border we were subjected to a thorough search, including removing our shoes and driving our car over a car pit so that the underside could be examined - they were looking for drugs though, in those days I think, it was more commonly trafficked in the opposite direction! In each place we always visited mosques - only from the outside for me, and local bazaars which were teeming with hand-made goods and pungent smelling spices, pomegranates, grapes and delicious dried fruit. In Herat we each had a pair of beautiful leather boots hand made. Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, of especial importance to the Taliban. Travelling during the day we would hand-pump fuel for our car because there were power cuts during daylight. At some point on our drive between Kandahar and Kabul we heard a clicking noise which rapidly became thunderous, completely blacking out our windscreen - a swarm of huge black beetles! Luckily for us, we were travelling at the time of year when Nomads with their caravans of camels, including many calves migrated from the warmer plains of southern Afghanistan to the cooler pastures of the central highlands. Decades of war, forced displacement, droughts and socioeconomic changes have now rendered these people one of the most marginalised communities in Afghanistan. In Kabul met a lovely young jeweller in Chicken Street, (a bazaar district). We bought a lapis lazuli ring that he’d made and he offered to take us to the place in Kabul Gorge where he mined the lapis. Thinking back, that could have been a big risk but he was an absolute delight. We spent a whole day with him at the end of which he asked if we would take (smuggle) him into Iran where he would have a better life. Sadly we couldn’t help him. How lucky we were to have had the opportunity to visit when we did." Afghanistan has many beautiful views, like this one from Nuristan in the far east of Afghanistan, not far from where we are approaching the border with Pakistan!

15/8/24 Stories from "The Eighth Wonder of the World"

Trustee Peter has added more miles to the map with a cycle ride to Chiddingly in the Wealden District of East Sussex. As a town that is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, it certainly has a lot of stories in its history. This picture is of the Six Bells Pub, which has stood here since 1730, back when it was an inn on the main route between London and Eastbourne. Like many old pubs, the Six Bells claims to be haunted, and by a relatively nasty sounding ghost! As the story is told: Allegedly, one Sarah French was convicted and sentenced to death for poisoning her husband with an onion pie from the inn so she could make off with the object of her fancy, who, it turned out, wasn’t interested in her. The jury in the case sat in the Six Bells while debating the case. Now, she haunts the place that sealed her fate. Despite this, the current owner of the Six Bells claims his pub is "the Eighth Wonder of the World", putting it in the same league as the Taj Mahal (You can click the link on the picture for more history about the Taj Mahal so you can judge for yourself the validity of that claim!). The Taj Mahal was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983, who referred to it as "the jewel of Islamic art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". So, if you haven't got the time to visit the Taj Mahal, head on down to the Six Bells in Chiddingly, but look out for the ghosts!

12/8/24 We reach Kandahar

Thanks to all our supporters and trustees continuing to add up the miles, we have now reached our next milestone, the city of Kandahar, a whopping 4,686 miles from Brighton! What you can see on the right is the University of Kandahar's Mosque, which was constructed in 2005. The University itself was established in 1990 with the aim to "educate the young generation by providing them with teaching, research, and high standard services at the utmost national levels of excellence.". In 2013, the First Solar company of Arizona donated 900 solar panels to the university, with the aim of making Kandahar University a model for renewable energy across the country. Renewable energies, and particularly solar, became an important part of the curriculum at the school, and in 2019 staff from the University were present at the inauguration of the first two solar power plants in Afghanistan, in Kabul and Kandahar. In 2021, Afghanistan expanded its renewable energy capacities by signing a hydroelectricity agreement with Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, making Kandahar University a key driver for improving renewable energy access across the region.

9/8/24 More Miles on the Board with a Trip to Pevensey

We're continuing our route across Afghanistan, passing by the southern city of Lashkar Gah on the way to our next stop, which will be Kandahar. A big thank you to supporter John, who has added another 52 miles to his rapidly advancing total, and to trustee Peter who's continued his cycle rides around the Sussex, this time travelling to Pevensey to keep our mileage increasing. See the image on the right for some of Pevensey's fascinating history, taken by Peter on his travels. The sign highlights the arrival of William the Conqueor at Pevensey Castle in 1066, but the history of the Castle stretches far beyond that historic event. Founded in the 4th century as one of the last of the Roman 'Saxon Shore' forts, Pevensey Castle would stand in multiple guises all the way up until it was pressed back into service as an emergency stronghold in the Second World War. It was In fact, you can still see machine gun posts camouflaged into the castle walls. Initially garrisoned by units from the Home Guard, by 1944 it was taken over by the United States Army Air Corps, who used it as a radio direction centre in the run up to the Normandy landings on D-Day.

7/8/24 Supporters Rod and Anne add 152 miles to our distance

We want to say a massive thank you to Rod and Anne for their massive addition to the distance, and their donation to the campaign. They covered these miles whilst walking on their recent trip to Scotland, where they visited the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides and North East Scotland. In the picture, you can see Rod at John O' Groats, the most North Easterly point on the UK mainland. As Rod and Anne explored the hills and countryside of Scotland, they might have seen some very similar environments to those in India. Rod writes: "Here's some similarity between Scotland and India: Located in one of the Seven Sisters Of India (seven states), Shillong serves as the capital of Meghalaya state in country’s northeast region. There are indeed many similarities between this place with Scotland, and this is why Shillong is called Scotland of the East. This is something India & the Hebrides have in common, both regions are known for their stunning landscapes. The Hebrides feature rugged coastlines, beautiful beaches, and picturesque islands, while India boasts a diverse range of natural beauty, from the Himalayas to tropical beaches." The city of Shillong in northeastern India was called "The Scotland of the East" by British colonial authorities in the 1860s, because the rolling hills around the settlement reminded them of the Highlands. Due to its high altitude, it was protected from the tropical heat of lower lands, which better suited the British in the area. In very Scottish fashion, it's climate is described as having summers that are cool and very rainy, so there are lots of things in common! Thanks again to Rod and Anne for your great work and for supporting the campaign. If you'd like to donate you can do so by clicking the picture.

1/8/24 Four Months in we Reach Herat, Afghanistan

Just four months after we began, we find ourselves in Afghanistan. A big thank you to trustees Veronica and Lesley, as well as supporter Chris for your additional miles which took us over the border from Turkmenistan and helped us reach our next city location where we can put our feet up for a bit before we continue our journey! Not a bad place to rest either, as before Herat became a part of Afghanistan in 1747, the city belonged to the Persian Empire and was known as the "Pearl of Khorasan", most importantly because of its famously sweet and world renowned export, wine. The wine in Herat was considered world-leading, thanks to the Angor Fakhri Pusht-e-Gul grape, which is indigenous only to the Obeh District of Herat province. Thanks Veronica, Lesley, and Chris, and save some of that wine for the rest of us!

31/7/24 More supporters help us to reach Badhyz Nature Reserve

A big thank you to supporter Pat, who has covered 80 miles with the help of her dogs to help us keep making progress along our route. Supporter Bernadette has also added several more miles to her swim total, which now stands at a whopping 130 miles, well over the Channel distance we needed to cover. In fact, Bernadette has now nearly managed to swim the full Channel distance from Newhaven to Dieppe twice! Trustees Peter (cycling) and George (rowing, running, and cycling) have also added more miles to their distance, which takes us straight south from Mary, Turkmenistan, and nearer to the border with Afghanistan. For now, we find ourselves not far from the Badhyz Nature Reserve in southern Turkmenistan, home to the Asiatic Wild Ass, a protected species which was near extinction before being reintroduced to this protected area, where the current population is estimated to be as high as 650 today. It is also expected to be a refuge of the Asiatic Cheetah most usually founded in Iran, but no cheetahs have been seen in this area since the 1960s. They are masterful predators, however, so maybe they just don't want to be seen.

25/7/24 We Made it to Mary!

4,251 miles from Brighton, we arrive in Mary, Turkmenistan. What you can see in the picture is part of the ancient city, a pilgrimage spot that is a part of the Gonur-Depe, ancient ruins that date as far back as 2400 BCE. Mary has gone through many changes since then, but remains Turkmenistan's fourth largest city, and a trade hub for several of Turkmenistan's key exports, including cereals, cotton, and wool. It also played host to an unusual battle in 1918, when a force of the British Indian Army, consisting of 40 Punjabi soldiers and a British officer, clashed with Bolshevik soldiers during the Russian Civil War. This was the first combat action between British and Russian forces since the Crimean War, and ended with the successful resistance from the British Indian unit, as they repelled the Bolshevik forces away from their encampment in what was then Merv, the city on which Mary now stands.

16/7/24 Another St Antony's Update

The St Antony's students and staff are still making their progress towards the Indian border, where we aim to meet them very soon! One of the many exciting spots across India they have passed is the city of Vijayapura. Vijayapura is an ancient city, also known as Bijapur, and the hometown of 12th century Indian statesman and philospher Basava. Basava was a statesman during the Kalachuri dynasty, and was known as a social reformer. He rejected social or gender discrimination, and challenged the caste system by stating that all humans were created equal and should be treated as such. For that, and many other achievements, he gained a reputation as a pioneer of democracy. In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a statue to Basava in London, on the south side of the Thames in Lambeth facing towards the House of Commons. It was said at the time that the statue was donated by the government of Karnataka so that "the pioneer of the world's largest democracy could face the home of the world's oldest democracy". With both the UK and India experiencing elections in recent weeks, these shared political values should be celebrated! Read more about Basava on our Google Earth virtual route by clicking on the image.

11/7/4 Peter adds more mile along the Cuckoo Trail

We are rapidly approaching the 4,000 mile mark now, and speeding towards our next stop on the trail of Mary, Turkmenistan. We're not quite there yet though, so for this update we'll return closer to home, as Peter adds to our total with a cycle along the Cuckoo Trail. The Cuckoo Trail extends from Heathfield to Polegate, along an old railway line across East Sussex. It got its name from an old Sussex tradition of releasing a cuckoo at the Heathfield Fair. This tradition dates all the way back to 1315! For more information from the official Cuckoo Fair site: "In 1315 the Bishop of Chichester was our Lord of the Manor and he made the grant of a market and fair. The dates chosen were the 3 April and 18 June, amended by the calendar correction of 1752 to 14 April and 27 June. The great day of our legend falls on the first of these dates, 14 April, when glad tidings are spread far and wide from Heathfield, by the Old Woman of Heffle Fair. She carries a basket hanging from her arm and during the day she opens it to let the Cuckoo fly out and that tells all of England that winter has finished and spring is at the full and summer is on the way.". Our summer, and our journey, is well and truly underway now, and our next update will hopefully be coming from the city of Mary, over 4,000 miles from the end of the Cuckoo Trail.

6/7/24 Supporter Stuart adds another 50 miles as we enter Turkmenistan

Thank you to Stuart, who has been clocking up the miles cycling on the South Downs. Here you can see one of the views he found on his latest cycling expedition, a view very different to the one we are seeing virtually as we cross the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan border and make our way past the cold desert town of Dashoguz. Dashoguz sees very little precipitation throughout the year, with an average of only 100mm (3.93inches) annually. Despite this, Dashoguz is also located not far from Turkmenistan's largest lake, the Sarygamysh Lake, which is 78 miles long, 56 miles wide, and home to 65 unique species of fish.

1/7/24 3 Months In and We Arrive in Uzbekistan

As we hit the 3-month point in our journey, we find ourselves at our next stop of Nukus, Uzbekistan, home to the Nukus Museum of Art, which is known as "The Louvre of Central Asia" due to its impressive collections. A big thank you to supporters Bernadette, Russell and Caroline, Michael, and John, who have all raised their miles by walking and swimming to help us to collectively reach the 3,733 miles from Brighton to Nukus. Thank you all for your hard work! So, what else can we find out about Uzbekistan now that we're here? India has had strong relations with Uzbekistan throughout much of its history. In fact, Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire which ruled India from 1526 - 1857, was born in Andijan, present-day Uzbekistan.

27/6/24 Trekking our way through Kazakhstan

We're still on the move through Kazakhstan, drawing ever closer to the border with Uzbekistan and our next stop, which will be the city of Nukus in another 350 miles. For now though, thanks to the continued efforts of our supporters and trustees diligently chipping away at the miles, we pass by an exciting nature reserve in Kazakhstan's southern region. Barsa-Kelmes is part of UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves, because of its unique fora and fauna. It is also shrouded in mystery and superstition by locals. It's name translates from Kazakh as "if you go– you won't come back.", and local legends tell of times when this was almost true for several adventurers who dared to enter the wilderness. Time seems to bend in the wilderness here, as in 1935, an expedition of topographers disappeared in Barsa-Kelmes. Three months later, the members of the expedition returned, assuring that they had been absent for only three days. There are also stories of escaped prisoners during Soviet times, who were lost for several decades in Barsa-Kelmes. Soviet scientists had reason to believe that ancient flying lizards roamed the region here, and these are just some of the legends of Barsa-Kelmes. A big shout out to supporter John, who's covered another 52 miles on his bike, and trustee Veronica for ticking off another 63 miles in her daily walks, for helping us to quickly pass by this spooky destination!

22/6/24 A Visit to Firle

Trustee Peter is continuing his travels around East Sussex on his bike, this time taking a trip to the Firle Estate, near to Lewes. As Peter explained, the Firle estate has been owned by the Gage family for centuries (dating back to the 15th Century!). The majority of the houses are available to rent, but not to buy, and in Firle you can find one village shop, one pub and of course a church. The Gage family are an interesting bunch, and one particular member is someone we should be aware of as we continue our journey through Kazakhstan on the Walk to India. Thomas Gage (1781–1820), was a world traveller and a botanist. He had a Herbarium in Firle House, and the woodland flower subspecies 'Gagea' is named in his honour. We now find ourselves in the woodlands of Kazakhstan, where we should keep our eyes peeled for the 'Gagea alberti', a bulb-forming perennial up to 15 cm tall with pale yellow to yellow-green flowers that is native to Kazakhstan and Kyrgystan.

18/6/24 An Impressive Cycle Ride Takes Us to Asia

We want to say a massive thank you, and congratulations, to supporters Warren and Rebecca, who cycled a gargantuan 157 miles between Passau (Germany) and Vienna (Austria) over just four days! They finished their adventure today, on the 18th June, and between them add a total of 314 miles to our distance. This is big news, because it means that we are now almost exactly halfway through our expedition, reaching a total of 3,162 miles covered by all the supporters and trustees involved in the Walk to India. Not bad progress in just 6 weeks! But, even more excitingly, we have now officially left Europe in the dust, crossing the border between Russia and Kazakhstan and arriving in the city of Atyrau. Atyrau is is one of Kazakhstan's main port cities on the Caspian Sea, and thanks to its location is a central hub for trade and connection in the region. It is also our very first port of call in Asia, so once again a big thank you to Warren and Rebecca for their contribution, and their amazing achievement!

17/6/24 Russell & Caroline join the effort!

Russell and Caroline (and their dogs!) have committed to covering 200 miles over the next couple of months by walking around Brighton and in the woods around Harrogate. Thank you to them both for joining the effort and helping us to reach our goal! Russell and Caroline take monthly trips to Harrogate, which you may know as the home of the Yorkshire Tea brand, and which connects Harrogate to India through the import of tea. From the Yorkshire Tea website: "Yorkshire Tea is grown in more than 20 different places across Africa and India, then imported to Harrogate and blended – so why is it called 'Yorkshire Tea'? As Taylors of Harrogate, we've been creating tea blends in our North Yorkshire home since 1886. In the early 20th century, when the water supply was less uniform than it is today, we used to make individual blends for each customer at our flagship store in Harrogate. And so, in the 1970s, we created a black tea blend specifically for the water supply in Yorkshire, and sold only in Yorkshire. in the great tradition of English Breakfast, we named it Yorkshire Tea." And so, all the way from the tea plantations of India, Yorkshire Tea was born in Harrogate.

15/6/24 We approach Astrakhan, Russia, our final European stop

A big thank you to many more of our supporters who are continuing to get involved. Thanks to John from St Pats who has covered 100 miles by bike. Trustee Ben is also continuing to recover from his injuries and clock up miles by bike, pushing us closer to crossing over into Asia. Trustee Jennifer has logged a very impressive distance by walking and at the gym, and trustee George was away at a conference in beautiful Geneva last week, which meant he was lucky enough to add a further 20 miles to his own total by walking around the stunning Lake Geneva - a much nicer commute than he is used to!

13/6/24 Trustee Peter visits the Pevensey Levels

Pete is still wracking up the miles on his routes around Sussex, this time stopping at the Pevensey Levels. The Pevensey levels is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Bexhill-on-Sea and Hailsham in East Sussex, due to the strange inhabitants it has. It may be the best site in Britain for freshwater mollusc fauna, including the endangered shining ram's-horn snail. It also has one nationally rare and several nationally scarce aquatic plants and it is of national importance for lapwing, with more than 1% of the British population. Lapwings are migratory, and the Sociable Lapwing in particular covers some serious miles every year, wintering in the Indian subcontinent, breeding in Kazakhstan (the next country we will reach on our journey) and travelling to Europe, including the UK, in summer.

10/6/24 A Big Thank You to Katrina and Family

We'd like to thank our supporters Katrina and family for their massive contribution to our efforts so far, completing 428 miles so far through their dog walks and activities each weekend. An amazing effort! We're also told that the dogs were keen to contribute their miles, although we thought that might be seen as cheating... But we appreciate the effort! A great addition to our mileage that helps push us past the 2,500 mile mark, landing us in Volgodonsk, Russia! In Russia, the border between Europe and Asia is often considered to be the Ural Mountains, and you will find these to the North East of Volgodonsk, which is situated in the Rostov Oblast, neighbouring the Caucasus Region. We are very close to leaving Europe and entering Asia, a big milestone on our journey which we will mark as we cross into Kazakhstan in just a few hundred miles. Thank you to Katrina and the family for helping us to get closer to our goal!

5/6/24 Follow the SAF students as well as our supporters

We have updated the map to show the progress of the students of St Antony's, who have committed to covering over 1,000 miles in order to reach the border of India and Pakistan, which is where we plan to virtually meet with them in order to finish our journey! While the students of SAF pass through Vijayapura, India, we find ourselves in Donetsk, Ukraine. Unfortunately Donetsk is most recognisable today as one of the frontlines in the Ukraine conflict, but before that it was home to several cultural programmes that bring different cultures to Ukrainians. One such programme, still running now Kyiv, started in the Donbas by Kateryna Dovbnya with support from the Indian embassy, teaches classes on Indian dancing. Kateryna learned Hindi to better understand the songs she dances to, and has become an ambassador for Indian culture in Ukraine. She said that "Indian culture got really deep into my soul". Click the image to view our virtual route on Google Earth.

31/5/24 We made it to Lviv

Some huge contributions from trustees and supporters alike have carried us the 1,643 miles to Lviv, Ukraine! A big thanks to Veronica and Chris, who've covered 300 miles between them so far, Lesley who has managed 80 miles on her bike, and Jennifer who has logged a whopping 541 miles since we started! These contributions have taken us sailing through Poland and onto the border town of Lviv. Poland and India have historically had a, perhaps surprisingly, strong diplomatic connection. The first Indian embassy to Poland after independence opened in 1957, following the loosening of the USSR's control of Poland's political system. India was also one of the first countries to recognise Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, opening an embassy in Kyiv in 1992. Learn more about the other cities we've passed through so far on our route on the Google Earth map by clicking the image of Lviv.

26/5/24 An Amazing Contribution from Supporter Lukas Franzen-Jones

We want to say a massive thank you to Lukas, who has covered an astonishing 261 miles for the Walk throughout this football season with Lancing FC. He said: "This season I played 43 football games for Lancing FC in Step 4 of the English Non League Pyramid. Over the course of the season I totalled around 261 miles running (we wear trackers during a match) scoring 28 goals. I want to donate these miles to the great initiative that the Kanji Project is currently running. Kanji is a charity that is close to me and my family's hearts and I love the amazing work they do for children in India. I have been a regular donor for years now and you can donate too to support the great Walk to India and to support the amazing work the charity does by following the link here." Amazing work Lukas, and thank you for your support! If others would like donate to the work of the Kanji Project you can click the link on the picture. Thank you Lukas!

24/5/24 Trustee Ben braves injury to contribute to our distance

Trustee Ben is back cycling to work after a brief encounter with a pothole left him with a dislocated elbow and shoulder. After a couple of months of physiotherapy, he's trying to regain his mobility and stamina by tackling the hills of Yorkshire, clocking up 6 miles on his daily commute to the university. Working as an illustrator has been impossible with his right arm out of action so he's been learning how to use spray paints with his left hand. He's particularly pleased with the kingfisher he's painted on his shed!

21/5/24 Trustee George hikes the Briksdal Glacier

Trustee George continues his globetrotting miles on the Walk to India, this time hiking up to the Briksdal Glacier in Norway, through the Jostedal Glacier national park. The Briksdal glacier is one of the most well known and easily accessible glaciers in Norway, and forms part of the wider Jostedal Glacier, which is the largest in continental Europe. Unfortunately, the Briksdal Glacier is rapidly declining due to climate change. On the day George hiked to it, it was 24C in Olden, Norway, a temperature well above the average, and not what you expected when you're walking towards an ice sheet. This might surprise some, but India too has a huge number of its own glaciers, with the Indian Space Agency counting 16,627, mostly in the Himalayan region. These glaciers too are being affected by climate change, and may have lost up to 75% of their mass by 2100 if climate change continues at its current pace, which will lead to significant water shortages in the communities that live downstream.

19/5/24 Trustee Peter cycles to Alfriston

Here you can see him outside Alfriston Clergy House, a grade II listed building that was the first property ever purchased by the National Trust, for just £10 in 1896. The house itself dates back to the 14th century, and was lived in by the Parish Priest and his housekeeper. Some people claim that a detail on a cornice wood carving of an oak leaf in the house, may have inspired the National Trust's emblem. Today, the National Trust has over 500 properties across the country. Thanks to Peter, we have now crossed the 1,000 mile mark on our journey. This places us just over halfway between Munich and our next stop of Brno, Czechia.

9/5/24 A Cycle Ride to Herstmonceux Help Us To Reach Munich

Trustee Peter has reached the 90 mile mark of his cycle adventures around the Sussex countryside. The All Saint's Church, where Peter took this photo, features a monument to William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele, an English nobleman who was a fierce critic of the rule of Charles the1620s and 1630s. He was one of the first noblemen in England to call for a Parliamentary, democratic system. Although the Parliamentarians would not succeed and the monarchy would be restored after the end of the Protectorate in 1660, this group of early democracy advocates would start a movement that would eventually see democracy rise as the preferred system of governance globally. Today, India stands as the largest democratic nation in the world. With this update from Peter, and some more miles logged by trustee George, who's now covered 295 miles in the gym, and supporter Bernadette's continued swim across the channel which has now reached 15 miles, we reach our next stop on our virtual journey - Munich, Germany. Click the image to check in on our route map and learn more about Germany's links to India.

7/5/24 A Big Jump Forward!

We've had more reports coming in of supporters distances, and we're already flying along into Switzerland and sailing past Zurich as we reach a total distance so far of 743 miles. As we wave to Zurich and continue on past, we reflect on the fact that Switzerland was one of the first countries in the world to recognise the new country of India after independence in 1947. In 1948, Switzerland and India signed the Treaty of Friendship, which showed support and opened multiple diplomatic and trade links between the two countries. We've shot past Zurich and are well on our way towards entering Germany though. Thanks to supporter Chris for getting involved and helping us to push this far. Chris has pledged to walk 250 miles, and so far has covered a whopping 124! "It's doing me good," he says "the hills are getting easier!".

5/5/24 Connecting with Enfants de Kanji

Thanks to the push from Lesley and our other "walkers", we've officially made it as far as Enfants de Kanji in Ferney-Voltaire, France. Click the image to view a video of the beautiful town of Ferney-Voltaire and see a glimpse of where our sister charity partners live. Thanks to Pierre Danthony, President of EdK, for this message of support: "Enfants de Kanji happens to be The Kanji’ Project’s young sister- (and unfortunately the only one) She is 21 years old. The sisters have never quarreled. The family is closely united. Our parents are Indian. They live far away from us, about 8000Km, a very long walk (even though we are sisters, we do not use the same measurement system). It is difficult for us to imagine such a distance. In fact EDK lives in France, but her house is only 3km from the Swiss border and from the city of Geneva. It is easy for EDK to claim that she runs an international charity! Unlike most children we have been helping our parents since our birth. A few months ago, our parents had a dream. They wanted to create a higher secondary school [Plus One and Plus Two, the equivalent to 6th Form in the UK]. We thought that it was out of reach. They reminded us of the French saying: Nothing is impossible, the limits of our mind make them impossible. We thought that we had no choice so we contributed. The higher secondary school opens in June 2024. Your support is needed and highly appreciated."

24/4/24 The Trustees Are Approaching Dijon

We've got the latest distances in from our trustees, and the distance we've covered is bringing us ever closer to Dijon. We're currently at 395 miles, which puts us just 17 miles shy of Dijon. Did you know that India is the biggest importer of Dijon mustard globally, with over 126 shipments of Dijon a year, mostly from France itself but also from Canada? You can learn more about this and also many of our other highlighted checkpoints on the way to Kanji in our Google Earth journey, accessible by clicking the link here.

20/4/24 Brighton to Kanji via... Cyprus?

Trustee George enlisted the help of his friend Andy to add to our mileage while visiting the Troodos mountain range in Cyprus. The pair hiked around the woods outside Lofou, a tiny village in Limassol District that dates back to the Bronze Age as a small agricultural settlement. Covering five miles up and down the Lofos Hill, this adds another 10 miles onto our total distance, which has now broken 200 miles confirmed (with many more yet to be officially recorded). Although more distances are trickling in from the other trustees and supporters, our official record is now at 202 miles, which puts us just 20 miles away from Paris on our journey. Who will be the participant to help us reach Paris and beyond as we head towards the Enfants de Kanji headquarters in Ferney-Voltaire?

13/4/24 Our First Supporter Commitment

Brave Bernadette is the first Kanji supporter to commit to helping us to cover the distance to Kanji, aiming for 3 miles of swimming a week. Bernadette's love of swimming started early, as demonstrated by the TKP Walk to India supporter image she sent us to document her involvement... And those years of practice will be needed as she helps us cover the 79 miles of swimming the English Channel that we need to ensure we'll be on dry ground for the rest of the distance! Thanks Bernadette for getting stuck in!

6/4/24 The Trustees Are Making Progress

Trustee Jennifer has covered 37 miles since the 1st April walking and at the gym. George is now at 55 miles which means we've officially made it to Dieppe, where we can learn more about the exciting life of 16th century privateer Jean Ango - learn more about his adventures from France to India on our Google Earth route map! From here it will be entirely on foot to Kanji. Help us to reach our goal and get walking / running / cycling / swimming yourself to be a part of this exciting challenge!

2/4/24 We're Off!

The first miles are on the board! Trustee George has covered his first 15 miles by bike, rowing machine, and treadmill at the gym. On top of that, treasurer Peter has covered his first 8 miles around the South Downs on his bike. We are on the way, and so far the 23 miles has gotten us firstly to Newhaven and then off British soil and into the Channel! Don't forget to visit our Google Earth route to learn how Newhaven is connected to India... We still need your help, though, so click the image to find out how to get involved!