Mini superhero raises over £800 for veterans

Tuesday 21 August 2018

A seven-year-old caped crusader has raised hundreds of pounds for injured members of the armed forces after successfully tackling a 'superhero' challenge despite his disability.

Harry de Gruchy completed the Superhero Triathlon in Dorney Lake on Saturday, raising £870 for Holidays for Heroes in the process.

Dressed up as Batman, Harry cycled 3km on his trike and ran 1k, with his trusty sidekick, mum Cirsty, who towing him in a dinghy for a 150m swim for the event which is the UK’s one and only disability sports series for the "Everyday Superheroes."

The mother-son pair competed against paralympians, Invictus Games athletes and everyday superheroes with disabilities.

"It was absolutely amazing," said Cirsty. "It was just really inclusive and everyone was supporting and helping each others. It was incredible and an amazing day."

Cirsty, who is determined not to let Harry's disability hold him back, was over the moon to see little Harry thrive during the event. "He surpassed what I thought he would be able to do," she said. "He was very determined. He did the 3k cycle on his bike with very little help from myself.

Video: Little Harry crosses the finish line after running 1km on his own.

"He then ran the full km on his own with his walking frame. He was loving it. He stopped a couple of times and was just talking to himself saying 'Come on Harry!' It was amazing to see him so immersed in it and getting so much himself."

The duo not only tackled the Superhero Triathlon but also a Celebrity Relay Triathlon with Paralympic swimmer Stephanie Slater. The athlete wrote on her Twitter page, she had had a great time with her team my team including Cirsty, Harry and Billy Mansell. "Great to cross the finish line together! True superheroes," she added.

Through his efforts, the little superhero raised over £870 for Holidays for Heroes. The charity, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, has provided over 2,600 holidays on the island to past or present member of HM Forces who have been injured during their service. Members of the Merton Hotel, Cirsty and Harry have met a number of heroes and their families at the hotel's pool over the years and the little boy wanted to support them.

"We are absolutely delighted with the amount raised," said Cirsty. "We are very grateful to everyone who donated. We met some Heroes families at the triathlon and told Harry that thanks to him more people would be able to come on holiday." 

Video: Jersey's caped crusader tackles the 3km cycle.

Having spent weeks training for the Superhero Triathlon, Harry is now looking for his next challenge. The competitive boy was not long finished when he started asking his mum about the next race. "We will absolutely be doing it again. We were looking at photos and videos yesterday and Harry was asking when we are cycling and running again. He wants to know when the next event is.

"He said, 'Next time, Mummy no swim. Harry swim, run and bike.' He was actually asking to swim after the Triathlon. I was exhausted but he wasn't!"

While the next Superhero Triathlon is set for 17 August 2019, Harry and his mum are considering taking part in another event from the Superhero Series: the Winter Wonderwheels. The "festive extravaganza" invites partakers to "cycle, walk, run, push, or anything in-between" around Dorney’s spectacular lake as part of 1km, 5km and 10km challenges.

"We are not 100% sure what we will do next," said Cirsty. "But we are definitely going to carry on."