York: Seb Hughes to walk Edale Skyline for OSCAR’s charity

Seb Hughes will walk 21 miles across the Peak District’s Edale Skyline to raise money for OSCAR’s Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity.

He plans to join over 60 other fundraisers raising money for the charity named in memory of his brother Oscar.

The charity was set up by Seb’s parents, Marie and Ian, after the death of Dunnington schoolboy Oscar at the age of nine in 2014.

A photo of the Hughes family taken after Oscar's death aged nine (Image: OSCAR's)

In 2020, Ian also died of a brain tumour and a few days after his funeral Seb’s little brother, four-year-old Milo, was diagnosed with the same disease and died a year later.

On Sunday, May 5, 10 years to the weekend that Oscar died, Seb and the climbers hope to raise over £10,000 for OSCAR’s, which helps children diagnosed with brain tumours.

Seb's brother Lucas won Spirit of Youth at The Press' Community Pride Awards last year (Image: OSCAR's)

Seb, his mum Marie and younger brother Lucas have taken on similar challenges in the past, including reaching the summits of Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis between them.

But this challenge will be the toughest yet with the climbers expected to summit seven different peaks over 20 plus miles in just 10 hours.

The OSCAR's team during the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge (Image: OSCAR's)

They will be joined by families affected by brain tumours, friends and other supporters.

Seb said: “An event like this brings such mixed emotions for me. The main emotion I will feel is pride that the charity that bears Oscar’s name has brought so many people together to fundraise and support others.

Seb (right) meets Bear Grylls in 2017 (Image: OSCAR's)

“Every day is a tremendous struggle without my dad and brothers. Everything I do is to make them proud and I try to live my life to the fullest since they didn't get the chance.

“I am thrilled that OSCAR’s helps so many families – not just the children with brain tumours, but siblings as well. I know all too well how hard it can be for them.”

Oscar Hughes who died aged nine in 2014 from a brain tumour (Image: OSCAR's)

Phil Martinez, charity manager and Seb’s school teacher the year Oscar died, said: “Seb has, and continues to be, a remarkable young man. Humble, strong and always there for others.

“The things that have happened in his young life are unimaginable, yet here he is helping to bring about change in the lives of others that have been affected by childhood brain tumours.”

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Three weeks after his walking challenge, Seb will be taking on the Manchester Half-Marathon in the city where he's now a student. To sponsor him, visit his JustGiving Page titled: “Sebastian's fundraiser for OSCAR's Paediatric Brain Tumour Charity."

Seb also has big plans to celebrate the charity’s 10th Anniversary in November by organising a charity ball in York. OSCAR's say more details about this will be added to the charity’s website (oscarspbtc.org) as they become available.