Inspirational schoolboy whose successful campaign changed the law to protect people with epilepsy.

A brain injury at birth left Zach with both cerebral palsy and epilepsy. During lockdown in 2020, when he was eight, he walked laps of his garden to raise money for the Epilepsy Society.

Shockingly, when the charity celebrated his challenge online, trolls bombarded Zach with flashing images in a deliberate attempt to try and trigger his epileptic seizures. 

Determined to ensure this could never happen to anyone again Zach, with the support of his mum and the Epilepsy Society, campaigned for new laws to protect those with epilepsy online.

Known as Zach’s Law, the legislation officially came into effect across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in September 2023, making it a criminal offence to troll anyone with epilepsy to deliberately cause seizures and carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Zach’s proud mum Claire recalled:  “When Zach’s Law came into effect we couldn’t believe it. We were just living every day, going to school, cooking dinner, living our normal life but then Zach’s name was being spoken about in Parliament which was all really weird but amazing. “They were saying such lovely things about Zach’s campaigning and I remember thinking, ‘Yeah, that’s my baby’.”

As well as campaigning for the first law protecting people with epilepsy to be passed in Parliament, Zach, now 14, has continued to smash his fundraising targets, raising more than £20,000 for the Epilepsy Society.

He has now set his sights on making public transport more accessible for disabled people with a petition calling for the Government to make services more accessible for people with wheelchairs. 

The young advocate’s latest campaign was born when he watched a video of a girl with a disability struggling on the train. 

Zach said: “I saw the girl on the train and wanted to do something about it. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved but I will carry on campaigning because I want to make a difference.”

What the Judges said: “What an incredible young man, Zach is always thinking of other people. And even more than that, he is making a hugely positive difference to their lives.”