A St Albans boy is the latest winner of The Maltings Community Hero award
Ollie Higman-Hall was nominated for doing a ten mile cycle ride via the Alban Way for charity.
He raised money for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), a charity which aims to prevent sudden death in young people because of undiagnosed heart conditions, in honour of his dad.
Ollie has won £100 to spend in The Maltings. He said: “I feel excited to have won this. I am proud of myself. I am not yet sure what I am going to spend the money on.”
Ollie’s dad, Darren Hall, passed away at 30 years old when Ollie’s mother, Kirsty, was only nine weeks pregnant.
He was a seemingly fit and healthy man who had a rare heart disease called arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.
Despite Kirsty’s attempts to resuscitate him, Darren died on his way to Welwyn Garden City’s QEII Hospital.
Kirsty is now remarried to Tim Higman, and Ollie has a four-year-old half brother called Theo.
Tim and Theo joined in for half of the charity ride, and Kirsty was there for the full route.
His mum, Kirsty Higman, said: “The cycle ride was fantastic, Ollie completed over 11 miles and Theo did six miles.
We have raised over £2,182 so far. Everybody is so proud of him.
“Major surgeons from around the world have commented on Twitter how well he has done. Theo cycled six miles and he is only four.”
Ollie, eight, is a member of Colney Heath cubs and wants to be an engineer when he grows up.
Phil Corrigan, centre manager of The Maltings, said: “It’s clear that Ollie, and his brother Theo, love riding their bikes. Ollie should be very proud of himself and what he has achieved.
“I am a keen cyclist myself so I can appreciate what it takes to cycle any kind of distance, and so to think that Ollie is only eight years old and cycled ten miles is truly amazing. What an inspiring young man, I will be looking out for them along the Alban Way next weekend!”