2017 Winner
Abbi Bennett
Pint-sized charity champion Abbi Bennett has been named as Young Fundraiser of the Year at the Pride of Birmingham Awards.
Abbi, nine, won the prestigious honour for helping to raise £147,000 for Muscular Dystrophy UK despite suffering from a rare form of the muscle wasting disease herself.
She received her stunning trophy at the star-studded Awards dinner hosted by TV presenter and campaigner Katie Piper, and attended by some of the region’s biggest stars.
Pride of Birmingham, in partnership with TSB, honours unsung heroes of all ages who do extraordinary things to help others.
Abbi, who was diagnosed with Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy at the age of two, is so weak she can be knocked off her feet by a gust of wind or someone accidentally brushing against her.
But the Bournville schoolgirl refuses to let her illness stop her remarkable fundraising efforts to help find a cure for the disease.
At charity events organised by her parents Gary and Sarah, Abbi gets up on stage and asks people to donate.
She said: “I’m really grateful for people who give money to charity. We raise money for all the little boys and girls and adults who have the same condition as me to help them get better and better and better each time.”
The Pride of Birmingham judges said: “She is an absolutely inspirational little girl and the amount of money she has helped to raise is truly incredible.”