Ben presented nine-year-old Jake Allen-Brunn, from Ludlow in Shropshire, with the National Geographic Kids Young Adventurer Of The Year award. Jake also wins a holiday in Nepal from family adventure travel specialists The Adventure Company.
Ben, who is The Adventure Company’s Brand Ambassador, said: “Jake’s spirit of adventure totally shone through in his winning poem. I loved the message in his last verse that ‘you can have adventures anywhere; faraway or close to home, with friends or family or on your own,’ which mirrors my own approach to adventure. I’m sure his prize of a family holiday to Nepal’s incredible Himalayas will inspire him in his quest to become an adventurer of the future.”
Nine other Adventure Awards winners were also revealed at the ceremony, with wildlife expert Sir David Attenborough winning the accolade of The World’s Greatest Explorer and Deadly 60 presenter, Steve Backshall, scooping The Most Adventurous Celebrity award.
In other categories, the Indiana Jones series jointly won Best Adventure Film Of All Time, with Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild taking first place in the Best Adventure Book Of All Time category. Longleat Safari & Adventure Park was voted Best Adventure Destination (British Isles), while South Africa was voted Best International Adventure Destination and Donkey Kong Country Returns took first place as Best Adventure Game.
The 300 guests at the ceremony were also treated to a talk by Ben about some of the adventures featured in his new book, The Accidental Adventurer: My Wilderness Years. Speaking of the prize, Fogle added: “Nepal is one of those magical countries where the names of its most famous sites alone – such as Kathmandu and the foothills of the Himalayas – conjure up images of great adventure. In an action-packed fortnight the Young Adventurer Of The Year and his family will have the chance to explore rural villages and interact with the friendly Nepalese, enjoy jaw-dropping views across snow-capped peaks and get close to the animals both on an elephant-back safari and in a dugout canoe. Adventure really doesn’t have to be purely adrenaline-focused or involve spending months sailing across the ocean so, for me, this inspiring itinerary has all the perfect ingredients for the adventure of a lifetime.”
