A boy who has battled a rare illness, a young woman rebuilding her life after a horrific accident, and a fashion designer who has defied brain injury to build her own business were all recognised at the 28th Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards last night. 

The three, all from the Harrogate district, were among seven winners to pick up awards at the event, which was held at Leeds United’s Centenary Pavilion.  

The awards are sponsored by Harrogate-based McCormicks Solicitors and organised by the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation, which has now raised more than £1.3m for children’s charities in the region. 

Seven-year-old Archie Flintoft from Harrogate took the Youngster of the Year title, while the Unsung Hero Award went to Lucie Maguire of Kirkby Malzeard and the award for Achievement in Management and Enterprise was taken by Lucy Winn of Whixley. 

Peter McCormick OBE, who chairs the awards, said: 

“It was a very special evening after a break of three years because of the Covid pandemic and there was much to celebrate. There were stories of incredible fortitude and outstanding success and it is fair to say we continue to be amazed by the fantastic young people in our region. 

“These awards are our main fundraiser of the year and none of this would be possible without the support of our sponsors and our guests, many of whom have been with us almost since the beginning, and I am very proud that with their help, we were able to continue our grants programme helping young people across the region throughout the pandemic.” 

The other award winners included Whitby-born footballer Beth Mead, who helped the England women’s team to their historic victory in the European Championships this summer. She was named Personality of the Year, an award that was sponsored by Rudding Park. 

A special award was also presented to Chris Blundell, the entrepreneur behind Provenance Inns, which runs eight pub-restaurants across North Yorkshire, including The West Park in Harrogate. The award, sponsored by GMI Property, recognised his commitment and dedication to the Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards. 

Mr McCormick said:

“Chris has been a long-term supporter of the foundation, regularly hosting events such as our annual launch party and donating prizes where appropriate. He is also the organiser of the Yorkshire Charity Clay Days, from which the Foundation has benefited twice to the sum of tens of thousands of pounds.

“We are delighted to recognise Chris’s contribution with this award.” 

The other award winners were: 

Austin Haynes (Leeds), Achievement in the Arts, sponsored by Martin Gerrard 

Benji Chandra (Leeds), Achievement in Education, sponsored by Harrogate Town 

Hannah Cockroft OBE (Halifax), Achievement in Sport, sponsored by Leeds United 

Archie Flintoft, Youngster of the Year, sponsored by Nabarro McAllister 

Archie Flintoft has a very rare life-changing condition which is currently incurable. He was first diagnosed with Diamond-Blackfan anaemia (DBA) when he was a baby. His mum notice he was pale and unresponsive and after visiting the GP he was rushed to hospital, receiving two transfusions at two different hospitals in two days. Numerous tests followed until a faulty gene causing DBA was identified. 

Seven-year-old Archie, from Harrogate, has to undergo three-weekly blood transfusions as well as medication all night every night delivered by a needle in his thigh to protect his liver and heart. He has become so good at dealing with this that he even puts the needle in himself sometimes but it does mean that he cannot do some of the things that other youngsters take for granted, like going for sleepovers with his friends. 

He has now reached a total of nearly 100 blood transfusions, coping with endless visits to hospitals both in Yorkshire and London. Because he receives donor blood, the iron levels in his blood can build too high, hence the nightly medication. 

His family have fundraised both for the DBAUK group and to help cover the cost of the frequent London trips. 

Lucie Maguire, Unsung Hero, sponsored by Jamboree Entertainment 

Lucie Maguire was 19-year-old apprentice working with babies at a nursery in Ripley near Harrogate in 2021 but driving home from work with her mum, Sue, their car began to fill with smoke. Lucy got out to try and help her mum but was hit by a passing tractor, receiving catastrophic injuries. 

She lost her right leg at the hip, broke her back and suffered internal injuries and has spent months in hospital, undergoing numerous operations, and is awaiting more. 

The nerve damage she suffered in the accident meant that doctors were not sure if she would ever even be able to sit up. But she has worked hard to regain movement and is now able to use a power wheelchair for short periods and has learned to stand again with a frame. 

Her recovery received a setback when she suffered a serious infection in her leg while undergoing rehab, meaning her next operation had to be delayed, but she is still making plans for the future and has just moved into her own home to live as independently as she can. 

Lucie, of Kirkby Malzeard, is determined both to find a way to work with young people in the future and to share her experiences, including her time in various hospitals in ITU and major trauma wards, to help other people deal with their own life-changing circumstances. 

Lucy Winn, Achievement in Management and Enterprise, sponsored by CHR Estates 

Lucy Winn has overcome adversity to set up and run her own successful clothing business in London. 

When she was 15, she woke up one morning to find the left-hand side of her face was paralysed. Investigations revealed a brain abscess, necessitating surgery and months in hospital for rehabilitation. She missed time at school but still went on to achieve her GCSEs and A-levels in Business, Art and Textiles. 

However, Lucy’s problems were not over and at 19 she began to suffer seizures through epilepsy, brought on by the scarring to her brain. Despite this, she studied at Leeds College of Art before joining Westminster University to gain a degree in Fashion Marketing and Promotion. 

After a spell back at home in Whixley while her epilepsy was investigated and treatment began, she returned to London to take up a sales post. Then the pandemic hit, and she was furloughed. Using her skills to upcycle old garments into new looks, she launched her own business, the Vintage Studio. 

Working at home initially, she built up a social media following, including a number of influencers, and now has an Instagram following of more than 13,000 and some high-profile customers, including singers Mimi Webb and Zara Larsson. 

Lucy now has a studio in Fulham and is keen to build her business yet further by employing a small team to offer sustainable small collections, retaining a unique look but enabling more customers to purchase something they may have seen on her sites.