Fundraiser delighted to win national young hero award

A FUNDRAISER who pushed himself in his wheelchair nearly 1,700 miles last year in a gruelling charity challenge has been named a ‘young hero’ in a national awards ceremony.

Brynn Hauxwell, from Yell, was honoured at the YoungScot awards yesterday (Thursday).

The teenager said he was “absolutely blown away” to win the Young Hero award.

“Thanks so much to my family, friends, Ability Shetland and all my supporters,” he said.

Brynn raised thousands for Ability Shetland through his challenge.

https://twitter.com/down_brynn/status/1385309003002138624

He is autistic and has ADHD, severe asthma and fixed ankle contractures which means he relies on a wheelchair to get around.

A couple of years ago Ability Shetland helped him to “rediscover the great outdoors and also my freedom” by letting him use one of its all terrain wheelchairs.

In his next challenge Brynn is planning to push himself in his wheelchair over the distance of 16 half-marathons in the month of May.

The Chillax group from Scalloway Youth Centre, meanwhile, was a finalist in the health and wellbeing category of the YoungScot awards.

The group, all aged between 14 and 15, is dedicated to highlighting the importance of positive mental health and delivering workshops on coping strategies to schools and youth clubs.