A young man with a rare chromosome disorder almost had his statue for being the UK’s ‘Kindest Person’ ripped away when the awarding company failed to help find his prize a permanent home.
When Sebbie Hall, from Staffordshire, was born he was one of a very small group of people in the country with a rare chromosome abnormality, resulting in physical and learning difficulties.
The 21-year-old’s charitable endeavours began during the pandemic, when he raised £100,000 for adaptive devices for disabled people – and even received a message of thanks from ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his fundraising efforts.
Since then, he has travelled to Scotland to gift teddies to young Ukrainian refugees, and after being crowned the UK’s ‘Kindest Person’ by KIND Snacks in 2023, was given a statue.
Sebbie Hall, 21, was awarded UK’s Kindest Person by KIND Snacks in 2023, for his charitable endeavours
Actor Eddie Marsan (left) was present at the statue’s unveiling and was so inspired he became a patron of Sebbie’s charity
The statue, which has to be stored indoors because of its perishability, was originally unveiled at Tower Hill in central London last November.
Stars such as Supacell actor Eddie Marsan were in attendance, with the actor eventually becoming a patron of the Sebbie Hall Kindness Foundation after being so inspired by the fundraiser.
But Sebbie’s prize faced being destroyed, with KIND Snacks allegedly offering no support to rehome the statue.
Shortly after it was unveiled, the statue was moved to Sebbie’s hometown of Lichfield where it was temporarily placed in an arts centre called The Hub.
But at the end of July, less than a year into Sebbie’s reign, his mother Ashley Hall received an unexpected text whilst abroad from the awarding company.
The company had been in contact with Mrs Hall on July 18, asking if she would like to keep the statue and if she could rehome it as it would need a new location soon.
On July 31, KIND Snacks then informed her she had 36 hours to move the statue or it would be recycled, as The Hub was being refurbished.
Mrs Hall told MailOnline: ‘I was on holiday and I had the text to say: ‘You’ve got to move it. We need an address otherwise its going to have to be recycled’.’
Although Sebbie can’t read or write, he did pick up on the commotion as his family raced to save his beloved statue, according to his mother.
Mrs Hall revealed at one heartbreaking point, she even caught Sebbie talking to himself in the mirror practising a conversation concerning the award.
‘He knew there was an urgency about it because we where on holiday and I was on the phone constantly trying to stop it being recycled,’ she said.
The statue was later moved to Sebbie’s hometown of Lichfield at an arts centre called the Hub
However less than a year into Sebbie’s reign his mother Ashley Hall received a phone call from KIND Snacks saying she had less than 36 hours to move the statue or is would be destroyed (Pictured: locals helping move the statue)
‘[Sebbie] looked in the mirror that night and I heard him say ‘Hello I’m Sebbie Hall from Acts of Kindness and an award is meant to be happy’.
‘I thought the cogs are obviously turning because he could see all the commotion.’
On a separate occasion, Sebbie had also asked his mother about the whereabouts of the statue.
At this time he claimed he didn’t ‘want it anymore’ with all the stress surrounding his prize.
‘You know its Sebbie’s prize. The prize he won was a statue and a night at a hotel,’ his mother continued.
‘But within the year of his reign we were told if we didn’t find somewhere for it, they where going to get rid of it
‘All I will say is, I would never wish a disability on anyone. I’m not. I’ve lived in the world of disability with Sebbie for 21 years now.
‘But I honestly thought at the time ”I’m so pleased that he can’t read,” because we could shield him in a way, from the urgency and the possibility that it would be gone and that he hadn’t got his prize.’
She added: ‘If the person who won the prize didn’t have any disabilities then they would have been talking directly to them.
‘It would have been interesting if they’d spoken to somebody without a disability.’
According to Mrs Hall, there was no correspondence with KIND Snacks – who awarded Sebbie this statue – until July.
She said they did not seem interested in what happened to the prize they awarded had awarded Sebbie.
KIND Snacks did not help find the a new home for the statue – and showed little interest into the outcome until businessman Oliver Chapman backed the campaign to save it, according to Mrs Hall (Pictured: locals helping save the statue)
Keen to save the statue, Mrs Hall turned to businessman Oliver Chapman, who initially met Sebbie through The Life Changers Circle initiative.
‘There was only kind of an interest [from KIND Snacks] when Oliver Chapman started his campaign,’ she said.
‘We always knew the statue wasn’t going to stay there forever and we looking for places it could go to eventually.
‘But it was because we had 36 hours before it would be you know demolished, the urgency began and that’s why Oliver’s campaign started really.’
Mrs Hall added: ‘Oliver is an incredible bloke, and he’s an entrepreneur who believes into the power of kindness and has been inspired by Sebbie’s story.
‘No matter how much money you have, kindness is a great leveller, and anyone can be kind.’
Described as ‘an incredible support’, Mr Chapman rallied a campaign to save the statue, organising for it to be kept in storage and for its transportation.
Although the transportation men initially found it difficult to carry the eight foot statue out of the building, locals flocked to help save it and get it to the van.
‘They all sort of came together and said, we will get this out of the door, please don’t drive off. They ran down the street begging them to come black as we had loads of people to help,’ she continued.
When Oliver Chapman (Pictured) organised for Sebbie’s statue to be placed into storage and for transportation to save it from being melted down
Thanks to transportation men and locals flocking to help carry the huge statue it has now been saved and remains in storage in London (Pictured: Men moving the statue)
‘People even came from the market to get it out and help the transport men. It was brilliant. In the end it was fabulous to see everyone be uplifting.’
‘Sebbie always says kindness is his super power and kindness took over that day.
‘The statue had now gone to London and Oliver continues his campaign to hopefully find it a permanent home.’
Chief Executive of global supply chain company OCI, Oliver Chapman, said: ‘Sebbie is a special person.
‘His statue acts as a beacon of hope and inspiration for both young people and adults worldwide.
‘Kindness is truly a superpower and Sebbie is a genius who I admire and admire every day.’
Mrs Hall spoke of how ‘incredibly grateful’ she was to the entrepreneur, adding that despite the turmoil that has come with saving his statue, Sebbie is on to his next act of kindness.
The Sebbie Hall Kindness Foundation is currently working toward raising £250,000 so they can build permanent homes for young adults with disabilities.
The mother and son duo hope to build a legacy of buildings where disabled young adults can live after their relatives have passed away.
‘Sebbie doesn’t really realise it he is the person that he’s trying to help because as I’ve said the can’t read or write, make a phone call,’ Mrs Hall said.
Sebbie’s prize is still looking for a new home. Despite many offers it has to be kept indoors as it is made of perishable materials (Pictured: Men moving the statue)
‘So once he’s in his own house he’s isolated from the world unless there is somebody to help him and when something happens to us one day where will the be?
‘And what happens? His name would go out to tender and somebody would bid for him.
‘We would like to do similar to an elderly persons village, with a communal area for disabled people
‘We would love the Sebbie Hall Kind Foundation’s legacy to be one that prevents loneliness and puts people in the right place and within society rather than just paid for tendered for.’
Reflecting on her son, who strives to do an act of kindness every day, Mrs Hill praised how resilient her son had become.
‘He goes on about kindness being his superpower all the time. He says never say no. The won’t take no for an answer and will find a way in the end.’
MailOnline has approached KIND Snacks, a subsidiary of Mars, for comment.