An eight year old boy from Deal, who received a life-saving liver transplant as a baby, led a four mile hike through the wind and rain on Friday (March 31), raising over £1800 to support other children who, like him, were born with liver disease.
Hugo Wooding came up with the idea of the Big Yellow Hike as his way of joining in with Big Yellow Friday, the national fundraising and awareness day for Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (CLDF).
The charity has provided Hugo’s family with information and support ever since his diagnosis and, as Hugo became more aware of his transplant, he was very keen to do some fundraising of his own: “I love walking and I love to raise money – I want to help everyone who is poorly,” he said.
Hugo’s enthusiasm proved infectious and before long, several classmates at Northbourne CE Primary had signed up for the Big Yellow Hike to the Bowling Green pub in Deal, smashing his initial £200 fundraising target.
And Friday’s miserable weather failed to dampen their spirits:
“The walk was excellent, Hugo and his friends did so well in the awful, awful weather!” says Hugo’s mum, Polly. “We slid through the woods and fields and then had a long and quite exposed walk into town, we were all a bit battered from the wind and rain but we made it to the pub for some much needed chips and refreshments. Hugo is just so delighted with the support he has received and the amount raised, which has exceeded all our expectations!”
Rebecca Cooper, Chief Executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation commented: “A four mile walk would be a great achievement for children of this age in any case but the nasty weather makes it even more impressive. They are all superstars and Hugo has done brilliantly to inspire his friends to join in with such a fabulous fundraising effort. He really has made a difference to other children in the UK who live with liver disease.”
You can still support Hugo’s Big Yellow Hike by going to Polly Wooding is fundraising for Children’s Liver Disease Foundation (justgiving.com)
For more information on CLDF visit childliverdisease.org.
