Andrew & Jess Finalists in BBC’s Make a Difference Award

Andrew Huyton and Jessica Martin (pictured left and far right) have been shortlisted for the BBC Oxford’s Make a Difference Fundraiser Award for their remarkable challenge they completed last year to kayak the Thames from the source to Henley raising money for Autistic children.

Andrew and Jessica were runners-up in our Charity Champion Award last year.  The brother and sister duo completed the arduous 104 mile challenge overcoming lock and river closures.  Andrew’s son Joey who is nearly 6 was diagnosed with autism in the summer of 2020.  Neither had done anything like this before and overcame the physical endurance with Jessica suffering very wrinkled, sore and blistered hands.

There are 4 short-listed finalists for the award and the prize giving is take place next Thursday (28 September) at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford.  They were nominated by their Auntie Vikki Bray.

Andrew said on hearing they had been shortlisted said, “We didn’t know we were nominated until we received an email telling us that we were finalists for the award, which came as a huge surprise and is very exciting and rewarding for us! We both feel honoured to be finalists in a county wide award, much like we did for the Henley Herald awards in February.”

We wish them good luck for Thursday along with Ben Clarke who is has been shortlisted for the Bravery Award for living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.