While most people were tucking into turkey and roast potatoes on Christmas Day 2018, Phoebe Smith was dressed as 'Wander Woman' walking 100 miles from one side of England to the other to raise awareness and money for youth homeless chartiy Centrepoint. 

She started with a visit to Centrepoint's northernmost office and drop-in centre in Sunderland on the shortest day (and longest night) and walked up to Newcastle on 22nd, then across England, following Hadrian's Wall, ending in Cumbria at Bowness-on-Solway late in the evening on Christmas Day. 

She is known for choosing to sleep in 'wild' locations as an adventurer, but this was her toughest challenge to date. That's because you can't wild camp on the wall - it's illegal, so she had to walk steadily through the night, in cold and dark conditions, by herself, with only short stops to 'rest' - all the while in costume. 

It meant she missed out on on the festivities with her friends and family, but it was worth it to highlight the plight of the many thousands of young homeless people who also have to keep moving through the night, unable to sleep anywhere legally and safely. 

She was lucky enough to have an end date to her challenge, but there are so many who don't. Their walk must seem endless, and such it would be were it not for Centrepoint who work tirelessly to not only house them but also support them to get any education, life skills and the services of mental health professionals that they might need. 

In 2017 over 100,000 young people approached their local council for help with homelessness, meaning that every mile Phoebe walked represented over 1,000 young people who would love to have had a place to call home surrounded by loved ones this Christmas. Every £1 donated and every step Phoebe took, brings us closer to ending homelessness for good.