Sir Chris Bonnington offers to join amputee Pride of Britain winner for Windermere fell challenge
An eight-year-old pride of Britain award winner has set himself a huge challenge and been inundated with well wishes from famous mountaineers.
Tony Hudgell has set his sights on the summit of Orrest Head on the eastern shores of Windermere in spite of having both legs amputated when he was just 41-days-old.
He suffered life-changing injuries inflicted by his birth parents but ever since being cared for by Paula and Mark Hudgell in 2015 and then adopted by them in 2016, the young boy has been determined to help others.
This summer, on Tuesday 8 August, Tony will travel from Kent with his family and attempt to summit Orrest Head. This will be Tony's first lakeland fell.
Tony said: "I am so excited - oh yes! 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 rockclimbing so I’ll be able to do some rock climbing if I have to.”
The inspirational youngster has caught the attention of famous mountaineers from around the world including fellow double amputee Hari Buddha Magar.
Hari Budha Magar is a Nepalese record-breaking mountaineer who was injured while serving for the British Army in Afghanistan in 2010.
Hari Buddha Magar / Bendrigg Trust
Sir Chris Bonnington, 88, is also backing Tony to succeed in his latest challenge.
Sir Chris is the oldest person to make it to the summit of Mount Everest when he was 50-years-old in 1985 and has made nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas throughout his lifetime.
Now, he is advising and encouraging his younger counterpart, Tony - even offering to join him in spite of having double hip replacements.
Sir Chris Bonnington / Bendrigg Trust
Orrest Head is the first fell that guidebook author Alfred Wainwright submitted on his very first visit to the Lake District in 1930 and so it is fitting that it will also be Tony's first.
Lakeside guide Steve Watts will also walk with Tony, as he has over 40 years’ experience of walking, running and guiding over the Lake District Fells.
During lockdown, Mr Watts started sharing a photo a day from his daily walk/run. They attracted much media attention, so he used the photos to create a book called “A Year Like No Other.”
Mr Watts donated the proceeds to the Tony Hudgell Foundation and he has now reached out to Tony to offer his services in planning the challenge, which has been named ‘Summit’s up for Tony’.
Mr Watts said: "In February 2021, I said to Tony 'I challenge you to take my flag to the top of a lakeland mountain' and now here we are saying 'go Tony go.' It's truly fantastic! Amazing!"
Tony was meant to take on the Summit's Up for Tony challenge in 2022 but his adoptive mother, Paula Hudgell, 56, was diagnosed with Stage Two bowel cancer. She has since had two major operations and six months of chemotherapy but said the time is now the "right time" for Tony to keep on helping others.
She said: "Tony is continuing to capture hearts with his bravery, optimism and infectious smile. He is meeting this latest challenge with enthusiasm, determination and incredible positivity.
"It is hoped that the challenge will inspire more people to get outdoors and have empowering adventures of their own."
The Tony Hudgell Foundation was founded by the Pride of Britain winner and his family. The charity's mission is to enhance the lives of children affected by physical, emotional, or psychological abuse.
In 2020, aged just five-years-old, Tony decided to try and raise £509 for the Evelina Children's Hospital by walking 10km on his prosthetic legs.
The Evelina Children's Hospital had saved Tony when he was brought to them as a baby with such serious injuries including multiple fractures and dislocations. Tony set his target to raise £509 but smashed this when donations flooded in, with £1.6 million raised for the hospital in the process.
Tony has once again set his target to raise £509 and has already raised more than £2,000 so far.
Tony has chosen to split his fundraising equally between four charities; The Tony Hudgell Foundation, Bendrigg Trust and Crohn's & Colitis UK.
A spokesperson for the other charity - The Lake District Foundation - said: " Summit's up for Tony is an amazing challenge. The Lake District Foundation and Fix the Fells are very proud to be working with Tony and all the other charities.
"Orrest Head is a beautiful mountain to climb and the views over the whole of the southern Lake District with Windermere in the foreground. It will be a hard climb for Tony and a Fix the Fells team will be there to be with Tony for the summit attempt."
Sarah Garman, of the Bendrigg Trust said: "Tony has so much energy. He proves that you can overcome life's challenges and achieve anything. He is a little firecracker!"