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Pride of Britain awards for two Devon fundraisers

Mark Ormrod Mark Ormrod at Pride of Britain AwardsMark Ormrod
Mark Ormrod has raised more than £500,000 for charity REORG

Two of Devon's fundraising heroes have taken home Pride of Britain awards.

Mark Ormrod, 38, and Max Woosey, 12, were recognised for their fundraising at the awards ceremony on Saturday.

Mr Ormrod, a triple-amputee from Plymouth, won the Fundraiser Of The Year Award for raising more than £500,000 for the charity REORG.

Max won the Spirit of Adventure Award for camping out for more than 500 days and raising more than £600,000 for North Devon Hospice.

Mr Ormrod said he was "in a haze" from winning the award.

"My team and I never intended any of this to happen, it kind of just came around organically," he said.

What began as a head shave to raise money for REORG - a charity that helps people from the armed forces and emergency services suffering from physical and psychological trauma - developed into a 5km (3.1 mile) run, then a 1km (0.62 mile) sea swim and a 99.9 mile (161km) overnight cycle challenge.

Mark Ormrod Mark Ormrod with Pride of Britain awardMark Ormrod
Former Royal Marine Mark Ormrod won a Pride of Britain award for his extraordinary fundraising

Mr Ormrod, a former Royal Marine, lost both legs and his right arm when he stood on an improvised explosive device while on foot patrol in Afghanistan in 2007.

"I'm completely overwhelmed to have been selected as the winner and I'm still trying to take it in.

"To win was phenomenal but I think everyone deserves to win really, it was just such an incredible group, and I know we're going to stay in contact," he said.

Mr Ormrod said he had met Max a couple of times, including on Saturday, and had been following his fundraising efforts from a distance.

Number 10 Downing Street Boris Johnson and Max Woosey look into tent as Dilyn the dog looks back outNumber 10 Downing Street
Boris Johnson's dog Dilyn joined Max and the PM in the garden of Number 10

Max started sleeping in his garden in north Devon on 28 March 2020 having been inspired by a family friend who died of cancer and bequeathed him his tent.

The 12-year-old, from Braunton, has camped out at a variety of locations, ranging from his back garden to London Zoo and 10 Downing Street.

Posting on social media following the ceremony he said he still could not believe the night had happened.

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