Banburyshire woman smashes target to raise nearly £125,000 for heart unit that saved her husband's life

Alexandra Williams, daughter of former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, walked from her home in Thenford to the John Radcliffe Hospital during ferocious weather on February 13.

Her brave trek was to put the finishing touch to a ten-year fundraising effort on behalf of the Oxford Heart Unit where surgeon Ravi De Silva and his team operated to repair an aortic dissection to save her husband Nick Williams' life. The story of her fundraising is here.Mrs Williams had raised £84,000 in the ten years since Mr Williams' life saving operation and hoped the walk would take the total to £100,000 - but the response of family, friends and supporters has helped her smash that target.

She described her arduous walk. "I was more than surprised to find myself walking out of the front door at sunrise three weeks ago. The reason for the bounce in my step was that finally, after six months of training, it was the day I got to see whether I could walk the marathon length route of the ambulance that took Nick from Thenford to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford.

"The day marked the tenth anniversary of my husband’s life saving heart operation. It was also to celebrate the amazing heart centre and the medical team who work tirelessly to save people like him. I wanted to let them know I will always appreciate how hard they work and the personal sacrifices they have made during the pandemic.

"It was lovely to have a farmer shout out that he had just heard me on BBC Radio Oxford as I walked towards Fritwell. Another driver stopped and thrust a large note into my hand for the fund-raising. My brother and sister in law came armed with balloons, sweet tea and support which was fabulous," she said.

"My route was mainly along country lanes with a stretch on the B430 being the most challenging. Five friends took it in turns to each walk about four miles along the route with my husband starting me off and our younger daughter (who had been with me on the fateful day ten years ago as a 12-year-old) walking into Oxford with me.

"The weather report was terrible so I was delighted to find myself rain free until Ardley. It was quite miserable walking along the main road to Weston on the Green. Most drivers were heroic, slowing down. My parents beeped their horn and waved. It was the first outing my mother had had since a knee replacement."

The next stretch was the hardest for Mrs Williams who by then was wet and tired.

"I had so much money riding on my walk that I would have gone on my knees had I needed to," she said.

"The last pit stop was Woodeaton where another friend had made hot sweet tea and advised me to take ibuprofen. From feeling so tired and stiff, I suddenly felt I could go on forever.

"It was a joy to walk those last few miles and into the grounds of the hospital. The team from the Oxford Hospitals Charity were there with close friends and my family. The fairy tale would not be complete without Sandra, the Sister on duty when Nick finally came round after his operation and for whom I will always have a huge amount of respect. She had given up her valuable Sunday to meet me at the end of my walk."

Mrs Williams' walk raised £46,200, funding a cardioversion machine and a portable echo machine for the unit.

"I want to thank everyone who donated via my network, the Banbury Guardian, ITV Meridian, BBC Radio Oxford, Nextdoor and the Grapevine Works. My total fundraising over the past ten years has now reached £124,750, which is just incredible but I am nothing without the people who have supported me."