Runner, 80, 'privileged' to be charity poster girl

An 80-year-old runner has said it is "a privilege" to be a poster girl for the charity she supports.

On 23 March, Eileen Williams, from Oxford, will be running her seventh OX5 Run, organised by the Oxford Hospitals Charity and in support of Oxford Children's Hospital.

Her dedication to the five-mile running challenge around Blenheim Palace stems from her career as a community health visitor.

Posters of her promoting the run can now be found in Sainsbury's and Tesco in Kidlington.

She was a community health visitor for 44 years, 37 of which were in Kidlington, as well as a health visitor teacher for Oxford Brookes University.

But Mrs Williams did not take up running until the age of 59, when her youngest son had gone to university.

Her training consists of "two or three miles jogging a day and a couple of miles walking".

"Normally I do a run in the gym and jogging on grass," she said.

"However, because I'm running with my little dog, I am doing pavement jogging as well."

Mrs Williams said she wanted to continue doing something, "small as it is", to support children and families after her retirement.

"It's only once a year and there's not a lot of money I raise but that is the very reason to continue supporting children and families," she said.

For her recent 80th birthday, Mrs Williams asked her friends for cash to go towards her fundraising efforts instead of presents.

"Already, I have about £120... so I suspect [I will be able to raise] £300 or £400," she added.

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