Two inspirational young fundraisers recognised in new year honours list

Two pint-sized fundraisers have become the youngest-ever recipients of the British Empire Medal (BEM).

Tobias Weller, AKA Captain Tobias, (11), and Max Woosey, AKA The Boy in the Tent (12) received the honour for their impressive fundraising efforts during the pandemic.

‘Captain Tobias,’ who has cerebral palsy and autism, was inspired to fundraise by his hero, Captain Tom Moore.

Despite being unable to walk unaided, the 11-year-old completed a series of sponsored walks (he walked more than 50 miles up and down his street), marathons, and a year-long Ironman, which involved a 180km ride on his trike, a 4km swim, and a marathon.

His superhuman efforts resulted in a whopping £150,000 for two local organisations in Sheffield - the school he attends (the special educational needs Paces School) and the Children’s Hospital Charity.

The money raised for the latter will pay for an Exercise and Physical Activity Therapist.

His efforts were praised by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Olympic gold medallist Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, who joined him for the end of his second marathon in August 2020.

Meanwhile, 12-year-old Max was inspired to fundraise by his neighbour, Rick.

In 2020, Rick (who was suffering from terminal cancer) gave Max a tent and told him to ‘have an adventure in it.’

After Rick sadly died, Max decided to use the tent to raise funds for the North Devon Hospice, where Rick spent his final months.

Max’s fundraising goal was £100. He planned to camp in the garden until he reached that target. However, after discovering a taste for camping and fundraising, he decided to extend the ‘camp out’ to a year.

By the end of the challenge, Max had camped out for more than 600 nights ­– and they weren’t all spent in his garden. He spent a night at London Zoo, another at Twickenham Rugby Ground, and one in the garden of 10 Downing Street.

His adventures raised an incredible £700,000, which the Hospice said would pay for 13 nurses to care for more than 300 terminally ill patients.

Max took his fundraising campaign a step further with ‘Max’s Big Camp Out’ - a scheme launched through JustGiving.

He encouraged children across the world to take on similar camping marathons on Saturday 27 March. He inspired nearly 2,000 young people to take part.

And Max is not done yet. Next year he’s planning to hold a second camp out on Exmoor.

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