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New Years Honours 2024: Tony Hudgell, 9, youngest to receive medal

Getty Images Tony Hudgell poses outside Buckingham Palace to celebrate Jack Hopkins running 100 days to raise funds for the Tony Hudgell Foundation on 5 February 2022 in LondonGetty Images
Tony Hudgell, from West Malling, has been awarded the British Empire Medal

A nine-year-old charity founder has become the youngest ever recipient of a New Year Honour.

Tony Hudgell, a double amputee of West Malling, Kent, has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the prevention of child abuse.

He lost both legs due to injuries inflicted by his birth parents, who were jailed for 10 years in 2018.

He went on to co-found the Tony Hudgell Foundation and helped raise more than £1.7m for charity in the pandemic.

Tony's adoptive mother Paula Hudgell, who was made an OBE last year, and her family have successfully campaigned for tougher sentencing of child abusers.

Ms Hudgell said Tony was "proud and very excited" when he found out he was to be honoured.

"It's nice as he does not want any other child to suffer like he did," she said.

"I am very proud of him and it's a wonderful legacy for him."

Getty Images Catherine, Princess Of Wales with Tony HudgellGetty Images
Tony - who has already met royalty including the Princess of Wales - lost both legs after serious injuries were inflicted by his birth parents

Tony is believed to be the youngest-ever recipient of an honour, a record previously held by fundraiser Tobias Weller, who was 11 when he received a BEM two years ago.

King Charles has also made the Archbishop of Canterbury a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO).

Justin Welby anointed and crowned the King during the ceremony on 6 May at Westminster Abbey.

Awards under the RVO are a gift from the King and bestowed independently of Downing Street to people who have served the monarch or the royal family in a personal way.

Getty Images Dickon Love manoeuvres a bell into the church of St Magnus the Martyr in 2009Getty Images
Dickon Love was honoured for services to bell-ringing in Kent and London

Meanwhile, Dickon Love has been appointed MBE for services to bell ringing in Kent and London, while British Transport Police Det Supt Gareth Williams, from Gravesend, has been appointed MBE for services to policing.

Former Olympic race walker Tom Bosworth, from Sevenoaks, was one of the sporting figures to be recognised. He was appointed MBE.

Also included on the list are founder of the Hygiene Bank, Elizabeth Hall, from Sevenoaks, who has been recognised for services to tackling hygiene poverty and Kent College Canterbury chair of governors Joan Cocking, who has been recognised for services to education.

Explosives officer Michael Kettle has been recognised for services to bomb disposal in Kent.

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