Derbyshire boy announced recipient of British Citizen Youth Award Roll Of Honour

These selfless young people have shown kindness and commitment to a multitude of causes, raising funds and awareness, and are all dedicated to making a difference.

Each inspirational young person will be presented with the BCyA Medal of Honour at The Palace of Westminster on 12 October 2023, and are invited to use the post-nominals ‘BCyA’ as a legacy of their achievements and endeavours.

Hayden Hudson age 13 from North East Derbyshire is one of the 2023 BCyA Roll of Honour Recipients.

Hayden has raised in excess of £10,000 for multiple charities during the past five years. After learning about how the cancer unit at his local hospital helps people who are unwell and suffering, he decided he wanted to do something to help. Although Hayden has ADHD, ASD and learning difficulties, he decided to physically challenge himself to raise funds for charity.

Each year Hayden undertakes two fundraisers. He selects the charity he would like to help and then thinks of bigger and better ways to raise funds. His fundraisers are usually endurance challenges and require extensive physical effort.

Hayden is passionate about swimming, with aspirations to one day represent Team GB at the Olympics. Many of his fundraising activities are sponsored swims, one of which saw him swim 44 miles over the course of two weeks.

He also undertook a triathlon with a bike ride over 18 miles, to raise money for Bluebell Wood, a hospice for children.

During lockdown, when the swimming pools were closed, Hayden embarked on a 100-mile sponsored bike ride, raising much needed funds for the local food bank and Parish church. Hayden continues to challenge himself for the benefit of others in the community.

The BCyA Medal of Honour bears the words ‘For the Good of the Country’ and is presented to only a small number of exceptional young individuals annually. The British Citizen Youth Award in partnership with Specsavers, is widely viewed as the nation’s way of recognising extraordinary, everyday young people for exceptional endeavor and is truly representative of today’s multicultural Britain.

In addition to the 24 individual medalists, one group of young people is honoured withThe Dame Mary Perkins British Citizen Group Award. This unique accolade is only open to groups of young people aged under 18. Only one group is selected each year to receive this honour and will be presented with an Official Presentation Plaque, Medal and Certificate of Honour.

“We are delighted to be able to recognise these amazing individuals with a BCyA. It is both heartening and uplifting to know that so many young people are consciously contributing to causes such as the environment, climate change activism, ecology, and creating awareness and fundraising for hospitals and charities.

"The youth of today are truly the leaders of tomorrow and we are humbled that Dame Mary, who is also founder of Specsavers, has put her name to the prestigious group accolade enabling the BCyA to broaden its recognition of young people in society”, stated Mike Faulkner, Director of the BCyA.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 medal presentations, register online at www.britishcitizenyouthawards.co.uk.