Scout Ben taking on swimming challenge

Brave Scout Ben Hart – known for the "cheeky smile" that hides the pain of a crippling illness – is planning to take on yet another challenge.

The 16-year-old Explorer Scout from Stourbridge is doing a one-mile sponsored swim to raise money for a charity that has helped him since he was diagnosed with a painful bone disease.

He has undergone many operations and is fitting in his swimming effort before going for yet more extensive surgery this summer.

Ben, of Pedmore, who in November earned the second highest award in Scouting, the Medal for Meritorious Conduct – last week met the Queen when he was invited to the National Scout Service and Parade. The Queen reviewed the parade of Queen Scouts and Scouts with good service awards.

Ben was diagnosed with Perthes Disease at the age of five and began his Scouting life as a Beaver Scout a year later. He has moved up through Cubs and Scouts, even though at times he has been on crutches or in a wheelchair.

His Explorer Scout leader Mike Randle has praised him for taking on challenges with determination and a "cheeky smile".

Now Ben is displaying yet more true grit by doing the sponsored swim at the Crystal Leisure Centre in Stourbridge on June 3. He hopes to raise £1,000 for the Perthes Association, which supplied a wheelchair for him last year to help him to get to school, complete his silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition and lead as normal a life as possible.

The sponsored swim will be part of Ben's Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award volunteering section.

He said: " I have the opportunity to give something back to the charity, so that they can continue to help other kids like me with this 'silent' disease to also achieve and have the opportunity to carry on with life as normally as possible."

"I am going to be swimming 64 lengths which, for me, really is quite a distance." To donate visit www.justgiving.com/benjaminhart3