n 83-year-old famend for rowing his home made tin boat and a 13-year-old woodworker have been topped winners on the GoCardless JustGiving Awards.
The ceremony at London’s Roundhouse on Monday – hosted by tv presenter and podcaster Jamie Laing and radio host Matt Edmondson – noticed seven winners, in addition to the announcement of JustGiving’s Charity of the 12 months.
Among the many victors was Michael Stanley, or Main Mick as he’s recognized, who was named artistic fundraiser of the yr.
The 83-year-old from Chichester, West Sussex, has collected greater than £11,000 for the Kids on the Edge charity, which helps households in Ukraine.
He has rowed 125 miles throughout lakes and rivers in Britain previously yr in his home made Tintanic boat, which is essentially made out of two sheets of corrugated iron.
Since 2020, Mr Stanley, who served 35 years within the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, has rowed greater than 350 miles within the two iterations of his boat, assembly King Charles and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson alongside the best way.
Wearing a union jack blazer – which he often dons for his rows, often alongside a pair of matching trousers – he advised award attendees: “It has been a beautiful [few] years of rowing my boat, it’s been an actual privilege.”
Talking concerning the origins of the union jack swimsuit, he advised the PA information company he bought it at the start of final yr.
“I wore it final yr as a result of it was a jubilee yr after which once more this yr as a result of it was a coronation yr and I did a coronation row in London simply earlier than the precise day,” he stated.
“I’ve been carrying it on and off for 2 years.”
Reflecting on his rows through the years, he stated: “Once I constructed the boat, I didn’t actually take into consideration doing something for charity, however then felt it was a medium to do a little bit of charity work and it actually grew from there and I had no expectations of something.
“I began it as a little bit of enjoyable and I proceed to do it for enjoyable.”
He advised budding artistic fundraisers to “go for no matter comes into your thoughts which you suppose can be enjoyable to do”.
One of many youngest award winners was 13-year-old Gabriel Clark, who secured victory within the teen fundraiser of the yr class.
In 2022, the teen grew to become a viral sensation when a prize draw he had for his Bowl for Ukraine – a wood bowl he carved, which was etched with a blue-and-yellow ring within the colors of the Ukrainian flag – caught the eye of celebrities together with Stephen Fry.
Earlier this yr, he created the Hope Bowl, which he comprised of three varieties of wooden to signify three of the principle areas of Save the Kids’s work – training, meals and drugs – with each efforts serving to to lift over £278,000 for the charity.
Taking to the stage to gather his trophy, he congratulated his fellow nominees and stated he felt “completely wonderful” concerning the win.
“It’s such an honour to have received the award, particularly when everybody else has executed such wonderful issues,” he advised PA.
The teen, who lives in Cumbria, added: “I by no means thought I’d increase the cash I’ve raised.
“It’s a fully astonishing quantity and the work Save the Kids does is simply unimaginable – establishing faculties, serving to kids, it’s wonderful.”
His father Richard has performed a big supporting position in Gabriel’s fundraising efforts, typically by means of sharing his son’s work on social media, and was in attendance on the ceremony alongside Gabriel’s mom and sister.
Gabriel added: “I’m so grateful for the assist of my complete household.”
As for recommendation for aspiring younger fundraisers, he stated: “Go for it.”
Different classes included neighborhood hero of the yr, endurance fundraiser of the yr and movie star fundraiser of the yr, with Invoice Bailey profitable the latter for his 100-mile stroll from Cornwall to Devon in reminiscence of his buddy and comic Sean Lock, who died in 2021.
TV character Josh Patterson received a particular recognition award for his varied bodily pursuits, together with finishing a marathon in each metropolis within the UK, for varied charities.
Pascale Harvie, president and normal supervisor at JustGiving, stated: “Final evening’s ceremony was wonderful, I felt so privileged to be within the firm of a few of our unimaginable fundraisers and charities.
“They don’t do what they do for reward, however they wholeheartedly deserve it.”
