The lovely Muriel Hunt was inspirational. Several days a week, she was a volunteer both at her local Oxfam shop and the League of Friends West Wing café in Oxford’s John Radcliffe hospital. She held bring-and-buy teas raising money for Syrian children. She had learned signing and was active on behalf of the Oxford Diocesan Council for the Deaf.
Helping her many friends one way or another was for Muriel a daily event. Around her Christmas table you would find anyone she knew that would otherwise be on their own. On Open Day in Oxford she would walk around at least ten churches raising funds for the Oxford Historic Churches Trust and her own church St, Mary Magdalen, for whom she made sandwiches for the homeless and did the ironing.
And all this when she was 95.
Then she was hit by a car. But on recovery from injury, she picked up where she left off. No wonder she was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2017!
So, in her memory after her death in June, Mary Mags church is staging Muriel’s Day on Saturday, September 18th, where those raising money for her church or their own favourite charities can abseil down the tower. We are also looking for adventurous seniors and their carers.
Donations in Muriel’s memory are very welcome – all go towards upkeep of a church that costs £400 a day to run and to age and dementia-related charity. But why not have a go? Our volunteer No. 1 was 84 when she first abseiled and she is now 92!
Abseils have a long tradition at St. Mary Magdalen. For funds raised in one day for Christian Aid, we are second only to Coventry Cathedral. It’s great fun – over one thousand have already done it. You climb a medieval staircase inside one of the city’s landmarks, cop a great view of Oxford, then enjoy the adrenaline rush of zipping down in five seconds like the SAS, or Incy-Wincying down at leisure, or maybe a bit of both. You’ll be is the safe hands of Witney Christian Group Adventure Plus. All Health and Safety angles have been covered.
First, email nigespeight@gmail.com to register yourself and your charity with us and receive sponsorship forms if you need them plus details of how to set up a Just Giving page for two charities.
