Summit’s Up For Tony

MOUNTAINOUS CHALLENGE FOR EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DOUBLE AMPUTEE

Pride of Britain Award winner, Tony Hudgell has set himself another awe-inspiring challenge “Summit’s Up For Tony”, three years after he raised over £1.7 million by walking 10km on his prosthetic legs during the pandemic.

Eight-year-old Tony, whose legs had to be amputated following life-changing injuries inflicted by his birth parents when he was a baby, will attempt to summit Orrest Head in the Lake District on Tuesday 8th August. The abuse by his birth parents also left Tony with other health conditions that require on-going treatment but this hasn’t stopped Tony, and he continues to capture hearts with his bravery, optimism and infectious smile. He has now set his sights on a new challenge, to summit his first Lakeland mountain.

Orrest Head, in the South Lakes, is the first fell that guidebook-author Alfred Wainwright summitted on his very first visit to the Lake District in 1930. He later described Orrest Head as the beginning of his ‘love affair with the Lake District’ and so it is fitting that this fell will also be Tony’s first. Wainwright remarked, “Orrest Head cast a spell that changed my life. It was a moment of magic, a revelation so unexpected that I stood transfixed, unable to believe my eyes”.

Like his original challenge during the pandemic, Tony has set himself a fundraising target of £509 (a typo by mum Paula is suspected to be the cause of the odd number rather than a round £500!) although he admits he would love to raise more than this. He has chosen to split his fundraising equally between four charities; The Tony Hudgell Foundation, Bendrigg Trust, Crohn’s & Colitis UK and Fix the Fells (The Lake District Foundation). Each charity has a special link to Tony, fellow organiser Steve Watts, and/or the local area.

When asked why he wants to do this challenge, Tony’s response is,

Well to help people really! We should all donate, and rock and roll and we can do it!
It isn’t going to be hard because I’m very good with this stuff and I’m good with my rock climbing so I’ll be able to do some rock climbing if I have to.

Summit’s Up For Tony is the next challenge in Tony’s life and he is meeting it with enthusiasm, determination and incredibly positivity. It is hoped that the challenge will inspire more people to get outdoors and have empowering adventures of their own.

To show your support for Tony you can donate via his fundraising page and send him a good luck video on social media using the hashtags #GoTonyGo #SummitsUpForTony