Oliver Voysey: 13-year-old Newcastle fundraiser receives PM award for charity work
13-year-old Oliver Voysey from Newcastle has been awarded in the Prime Minister's Daily Point of Light - an honour that highlights the charitable work of "outstanding individual volunteers".
Oliver raised over £250,000 during lockdown to support the reopening of the Lake District Calvert Trust, the outdoor activity centre which has helped transform his life.
He requires specialist care having suffered a brain injury when he was two days old, which left him with sight loss, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism and learning difficulties. Through the Lake District Calvert Trust, which is dedicated to ensuring people with disabilities can enjoy the benefits of outdoor activities in a safe and accessible way, Oliver has been able to experience opportunities such as rock climbing, abseiling, cycling and canoeing which have been vital for his rehabilitation.
Due to the loss of income during lockdown, the trust was on the brink of closure. Oliver started fundraising to combat those financial problems, completing a series of 13 charities for his 13th birthday, such as a 13-minute treadmill walk, completing a 13-minute walk and scoring 13 goals in a penalty shoot-out.
Initially hoping to raise £25,000, Oliver's appeal has received support from thousands of donors, culminating in over £248,000, helping to ensure the centre could reopen its doors on 21 June.
In a personal letter to Oliver, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:
“I was lost in awe hearing about your phenomenal fundraising appeal to help the activity centre you love. Through your campaign, you are helping so many other disabled people enjoy an exciting host of activities such as canoeing, abseiling and horse riding at the Lake District Calvert Trust.”
The Lake District Calvert Trust’s Fundraising Manager, Jennifer Scott, says, “What truly wonderful recognition for Oliver’s endeavours. Together with the support of his parents and sister, Oliver really created a turning point for the Lake District Calvert Trust in its darkest hour. Thanks to these amazing achievements and the awareness that Oliver shone on our charity, a further 3000 people took up the call to join ‘Oliver’s Calvert Army’ and helped secure our immediate future. We are, and will remain, incredibly grateful to the Voysey family.”
Points of Light awardsPoints of Light are outstanding individual volunteers – people who are making a change in their community. Every week day the Prime Minister recognises an inspirational volunteer with the Daily Point of Light award.
First established by President George H. W. Bush in 1990, over 6,000 US Points of Light have been recognised in the USA. UK Points of Light was developed in partnership with the US programme and launched in the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street in April 2014.
Since then hundreds of people have been named Points of Light by the Prime Minister, highlighting an enormous array of innovative and inspirational volunteering across the length and breadth of Britain.