A Whitby teenager who raised £2,500 for a local children’s charity when he ran a marathon has been nominated for a Young Hero award.
Isaac Harrison has made the shortlist for the Young Hero category in the BBC Radio Tees Make a Difference Award.
It comes after Isaac took on a 26 mile challenge and ran from Scarborough Sea Life Centre, to the Cinder Track and then back to Whitby, finishing at the Whalebones.
The teenager, who was 15 at the time, did the run in aid of WHISH (Whitby Hidden Impairments Support & Help) as a family friend’s child attends there.
The charity, based at St Hilda’s Hub, provides services for children with autism, ADHD, genetic conditions and other disabilities and impairments.
Isaac set about seven months of training for the 26 mile distance, which he was fitting in around school, cross-country running, basketball and rowing.
On the day he was joined along the route by family, friends with a group gathered to welcome him when he arrived in Whitby.
Isaac, set himself a target of raising £1,000, which he admits he didn’t think he would reach, but actually raised £2,500.
His parents got a phone-call out of the blue to say he had been nominated and short-listed.
Lucy and Matthew Harrison say they still get emotional thinking of the effort he put himself through, adding “proud is an understatement”.
He was also backed by local clothing brand, Shreds 11 and Whitby Jets who Isaac plays for.
Isaac and his family have been invited to the BBC Radio Tees Make a Difference Awards ceremony which takes place in September.
The teenager, who has just completed his GCSEs, said it was a surprise to get the nomination.
He said: “I wanted to do it to test myself as I was running cross country at the time and got a training plan together. The idea was also to do it for charity but I wanted to choose a local one because then you can see where the money goes. A family friend’s child goes to WHISH and I went to meet them and decided to do it for them.
“I had completely forgotten about it because I have been busy with my GCSEs so it was a surprise.”
Isaac and his family have been invited to the BBC Radio Tees Make a Difference Awards ceremony which takes place in September where the winners will be announced.
Whitby Lobster Hatchery has been nominated for the Make A Difference category award and The Farmy Army award has also been nominated. Local farmers were heroic in their efforts as they put their lives at risk to tackle the wildfire which burned across the North York Moors last summer.
Whitby’s Litter Pickers are also nominated for an award after each week taking to the streets, come rain or shine, to pick up litter and clean the town up.
