Heroes celebrated at Make a Difference Awards

An eight-year-old boy who sought to fundraise for charity after he was diagnosed with epilepsy was one of those honoured at an award ceremony held to celebrate local heroes.

BBC Radio Berkshire's Make a Difference Awards celebrated efforts with eight categories recognising those who love to make life better for others in their area.

To date, millions of people have been involved in Make a Difference across BBC radio stations.

Hudson, from Reading, took the crown in the young hero category after he raised £1,125 – nearly 10 times his £150 target – for Epilepsy Action by walking 150km (93.2 miles) throughout February.

His diagnosis last year, which followed a 17-minute seizure and two days in hospital, was scary but he has taken it in his stride, his mum Annie said.

Hudson's next challenge is to run 150km over a month.

Stephen Kelly was named the winner in the active category after he set up a football team for men who have experienced baby loss.

SANDS United Basingstoke, which works closely with the SANDS charity, works as a support network for more than 50 men.

Kelly set up the club after he lost his daughter Amelia Grace in October 2020.

Nominators said Kelly's "unwavering commitment" to the cause had been invaluable. They said he has successfully helped men in the "safe, low-pressure environment where men can connect, remember their children, and find strength in shared experience".

The 90 volunteers and horses that work to deliver Wyfold Riding for the Disabled (RDA) were the winners in the animal category.

Based at Wyfold Court, near Henley-on-Thames, it welcomes people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities, along with people with other conditions, to boost their confidence and mobility.

Their nominators said it means that participants are "liberated" every week and that the impact on them is "immeasurable in terms of a sense of wellbeing and also physical ability".

A club that has transformed refugee families' lives in Reading for 15 years took the title in the community group award.

The Refugee Homework Club, based at The Abbey School, has given sixth form students the chance to help refugee children do their homework and boost their skills.

Families from South Sudan, Kosovo, Zimbabwe and Iran are amongst those who have received help after the club was set up by Julia Turkington, the school's then head of English.

"We don't expect thanks but the warmth in which the families respond to our students and staff is really humbling," a club representative said.

Reading-based charity Nature Nurture, which says it seeks "to bring urban communities and nature together", was named the winner in the environmental category.

CEO Natalie Ganpatsingh said the impact on some people who have been encouraged by its work has been profound.

"We've just seen people transform, it's really moving to see," she said.

The person who nominated the charity said its work "leaves a legacy that is both ecological and educational, showing that caring for the environment can be accessible, enjoyable and deeply rewarding."

Charity Team Charlie was recognised in the fundraiser category for the help they give to children with cancer and their families.

Toni Ilsley's son Charlie died in 2020, aged 13. Five years prior, he had been diagnosed with medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumour found in children.

Ilsley, from Reading, and friend Claire Brown set up Team Charlie in 2022 in his memory.

It secured £20,000 in National Lottery funding last year to buy a holiday home in the Cotswolds to give families space away from their normal lives.

Debbie Green, a single parent who has cared for her son with complex needs for more than 20 years, was recognised in the great neighbour category.

While she said she was happy to be nominated, she said she had never expected recognition for what she does.

Her nominator said despite Green's already busy life, "she finds something within her to help other people", whether that is taking them to hospital appointments or giving them lifts.

"She's a very special person who will always find a minute in a busy day to do something for others and truly deserves this award," they said.

Grace Gomez, who took the award in the volunteer category, is the chair of The Way Ministry in Reading and is currently campaigning for a night shelter in the town.

"My faith is my driving force. All we have to do is love each other, it's really that simple," she said.

She was nominated for her "tireless campaigning to reduce homelessness and provide for those in need" for more than a decade.

Her nominator said Gomez is "very well known and loved in Reading for her dedication to the cause" and has helped "countless people" over recent years.