Blind boy raises £12,500 to 'give back'

Ben Hardy also has glaucoma and his eyesight is worse in one eye, his mother Liz said

A 10-year-old boy who is severely visually impaired and has raised more than £12,500 for charity says it is really important to "give back to those that have helped and supported me".

Ben Hardy, from Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire, has a rare genetic condition called Nance Horan syndrome, which means he is legally categorised as blind.

Since he was three years old, he has completed four challenges to raise funds for Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London, and Bishop's Stortford Food Bank.

Liz Hardy, his mother, said he was "inspiring" and he "just gets on with it and doesn't let things stop him".

Ben after his first eye operation at Addenbrooke's when he was two weeks old

Mrs Hardy said when Ben was born with cataracts, it was "completely unexpected".

"He has this super rare genetic disease, and when he was under two weeks he had his first surgeries on his eyes, at Addenbrooke's."

He has since had nine more.

She said although his eyesight would only get worse and it had been "a challenge", he was still a "joyous and creative" boy.

Ben took up swimming because his visual impairments means he is unable to take part in contact sports

Ben said he took part in the challenges after receiving "a lot of help".

"It's really important to give back to those that have helped and supported me, so I'd like to return and repay the favour," he said.

He was inspired to undertake two swimathons after taking up the sport, aged five.

"When I first tried it, it was quite hard, but once I got used to it and I got more relaxed, it became a love and a passion," he added.

"When I am in the pool, I feel free; I feel relaxed and calm."

He said it was important to "find something that you love and keep at it".

In March, Ben completed his latest challenge to swim 320 laps of his school's pool, with the help of his swimming teacher Laura Ager

His mum added that her son's "achievements have only been possible due to his team of teachers, nurses and doctors" as well as the support of his father Chris Hardy, and sisters Jess and Alice.

So far he has raised £7,000 for Addenbrooke's.

In March, he swam 8km (5 miles) at Bishop's Stortford College's pool, where he is a pupil, and collected £2,000 for GOSH.

In 2020, he completed a climbing challenge and in 2024 undertook another sponsored swim, raising £6,500 for the food bank.

Rachael Cox, his head teacher, said: "He's an inspiration to us all, and we are so delighted to have him as one of our very first neurodiversity ambassadors."

Ben completed a climbing challenge when he was only five in 2020

Mrs Hardy said: "Ben is so brave; he's gone through so much; he's so inspiring; he just gets on with things; he doesn't let things stop him.

"There are so many barriers, but with the help of everyone else we are finding different ways through."

Ben said: "Keep on going and trying hard, and it will pay off."

He was already working on his next challenge, and as he also loves drama, poetry, drumming and kayaking, it could involve any of those activities, he confirmed.

Ben, with the support of his mother, Liz said "keep your heart strong, your head held high and keep swimming"

Ben learnt to swim with Laura Ager through touch, her voice, trust, care and love, jokes, games and cake, his mother said