Aspiring pilot, 10, who raised £160,000 for charity wins Pride of Britain award
Jacob Newson, an RAF enthusiast, has raised thousands for charity since he lost his mother to breast cancer.
A 10-year-old has said his mother would be “filling heaven up” with her tears after he won a Pride of Britain award for raising more than £160,000 for charity in her memory.
Jacob Newson, from Leeds, was seven years old when his mother Andrea died with breast cancer aged 49 in December 2020.
Nicknamed Jacob the Pilot because of his love of planes and flying, the youngster’s efforts were recently recognised at the 25th Pride of Britain Awards, where he won the Good Morning Britain young fundraiser of the year award.
“I’m really excited, happy and proud of myself to win this award,” Jacob told the PA news agency.
“My mummy would be filling heaven up with water, with her tears.”
“So when she passed away, it was a whole new learning curve.
“I had to reset and be a dad and mum all at the same time.”
The 56-year-old armed forces veteran, who served in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo, said their adventures have been a “massive healing process” for the pair, because they get to spend time away from the city.
In August, the adventurous pair finished a four-day trek across the Pyrenees from France to Spain.
Jacob has also been able to explore his passion for aviation over the years.
He has flown in an RAF aircraft over the North Sea after a visit to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire earlier this year.
The youngster has also worked with the RAF Regiment to complete an assault course at their base in Honington, Suffolk, in 2022.
A spokesperson for St Gemma’s Hospice told PA: “Since caring for Jacob’s mum Andrea in 2020, Jacob has not only made a significant financial impact on our hospice through his fundraising but has also inspired countless others in our community.
“Jacob embodies the spirit of compassion and resilience we see so often in the families we care for, he has demonstrated that age is never a barrier to making a difference.”
Ben Alonso, director of fundraising at the RAF Benevolent Fund, told PA: “It’s heartwarming to see that Jacob’s passion for all things RAF remains sky-high – all of us at the fund are incredibly grateful for Jacob’s support and congratulate him on his well-deserved win.”
A judging panel selected the winners from a shortlist after tens of thousands of public nominations were received.
The Pride of Britain Awards ceremony will be shown on ITV1 at 8pm on Thursday.
