Inspirational fundraisers, 11 and 12, become youngest ever to get New Year’s Honours

Max Woosey and ‘Captain’ Tobias Weller are the youngest recipients on this year’s honours list (Pictures: PA)

Two boys aged 11 and 12 have become the youngest-ever recipients of New Year’s Honours after raising more than £700,000 between them for charity.

Tobias Weller, 11, said he was ‘chuffed to bits’ to be the youngest on record to feature on an honours list after raising £150,000 for his school and The Children’s Hospital Charity in his home town of Sheffield.

He was nicknamed ‘Captain Tobias’ after taking inspiration from Sir Tom Moore to raise money by completing challenges during lockdown.

The 11-year-old, who has cerebral palsy and autism, was widely praised as a role model for other children overcoming similar challenges.

He is joined on the list by Max Woosey, a 12-year-old from Devon who has raised over £570,000 by spending every night in a tent since March 2020.

The money went to North Devon Hospice, whom he was inspired to help after hearing how it cared for 74-year-old family friend Rick Abott in the last days of his life.

Bosses said it would pay for 13 nurses who would care for more than 300 terminally ill patients at the hospice or in their own homes.

Before he died, Mr Abott, who loved orienteering and outdoor sports, gave Max is tent and asked him to ‘promise me you’ll have your own adventures in it’.

Tobias Weller said he was ‘chuffed to bits’ over the recognition (Picture: PA)

Max Woosey’s camping challenge sparked an international wave of charity giving (Picture: PA)

Those adventures have included pitching up in the London Zoo and Boris Johnson’s garden at 10 Downing Street.

The challenge spread internationally through Max’s Big Camp Out, a scheme launched through JustGiving allowing children to publicise their own fundraising efforts which saw kids in every continent set out on similar camping marathons.

Asked what Mr Abbott would think about how far the challenge has come, Max said: ‘I think he would definitely be surprised but I definitely think he would be in another tent beside me doing this 100% with me.’

Max and Tobias have been awarded British Empire Medals in the royal honours, which also saw tennis sensation Emma Raducanu awarded an MBE.

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