Max power! 11 year old raises £600,000 for North Devon Hospice “Lockdown has thrown up some truly inspiring stories, and I think that Max’s efforts are up there with the very best. His is certainly the Captain Tom of his generation!” said Stephen Roberts, Chief Executive at North Devon Hospice. He’s paying tribute schoolboy Max Woosey, who has been sleeping out in a tent in his back garden here in North Devon every night since March 28th... last year! He’s braved gales, freezing temperatures and torrential rain. The 11 year old thought he might raise £100, but so far he’s raised a whopping £600,000 including Gift Aid for the local charity. Max started fundraising because the hospice had looked after family friend Rick Abbott who passed away from cancer in February 2020. Rick was a keen adventurer, camper and outdoor sports enthusiast. Shortly before dying he brought his tent over to Max, then aged 10, telling him ‘promise me you’ll have your own adventures in it’. “I’ve raised over half-a-million pounds now - it’s absolutely mad,” said Max. He then organised the ‘Big Camp Out’ inviting children around the world to join him on his first anniversary in the tent. His father, Royal Marine Mark Woosey said, “Max has been on an amazing journey. It has brought out both his empathy for others and his steely determination. What was really great about Max’s Big Camp Out is that it gave children a chance to do something really positive, when all they have heard for months on end is you can’t do this, and you can’t do that.” As lockdown restrictions were lifted young Max was given the honour of re-opening the historic Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway on April 12th. He cut the ribbon to open up the popular attraction (below).
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