Oldham grandmother completes inspiring challenge on 70th birthday

An energetic grandmother marked a remarkable milestone by walking five miles every day for 70 consecutive days, completing her final walk on her 70th birthday and raising an impressive £1,500 for causes close to her family’s heart.

Pat Hibbert, who lives in Oldham, took part in the inspiring challenge after her son-in-law Mike was hit by a car near his children’s school in Dukinfield in October 2024. He was left with multiple broken bones, collapsed lungs, and other life-threatening injuries.  

North West Air Ambulance’s critical care paramedics were called to the scene to provide enhanced pre‑hospital care before Mike was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary, where he spent a month receiving ongoing treatment and surgery.   

Pat said: “The care Mike received at the roadside was critical. If the crew hadn’t done what they did, he wouldn’t have made it to the hospital. I think about that every day. Since then, he's made a remarkable recovery.   

“Every single day when I look at him, I just keep thinking of the air ambulance, because he wouldn't be walking around amongst us, without them. It's not just the saving of his life that was important; it's the extended family, the friends, the colleagues, it's a whole ripple of people that have been affected.”  

Motivated by gratitude and a desire to give back, Pat set herself the walking challenge despite never having taken on a physical fundraiser before.   

She said: “I’m not a runner and I wouldn’t call myself sporty, but I enjoy walking, and it felt like the right way for me to say thank you. My daughter set up a GoFundMe page, and we went from there. I then worked out a five-mile route with my sports watch.”   

Walking largely alone across scenic routes near her home, Pat was supported throughout by family, friends and members of the charity team. Her final walk became a moving family moment when 15 relatives travelled from across the country to surprise her.   

Pat said: “When Mike got to a reasonable point of recovery, he came on one of the walks toward the end of the challenge. I then completed the 70 walks on my 70th birthday on December 1, with my family alongside me. They came from across the country, some of them don’t live locally anymore, but they all came up the night before and stayed over so that they could join me for the final walk.”   

From the total raised, £1,000 was donated to the North West Air Ambulance Charity, with £500 supporting a patient wellbeing appeal at Manchester Royal Infirmary.   

Learning that the charity receives no government or NHS funding strengthened Pat’s determination. She said: “Knowing the service relies entirely on public support made this even more important. It means other families can receive the same care when they need it most.”   

Inspired by her journey, Mike is now preparing to run the Manchester Marathon to raise further funds for the charity.   

To support the charity and make a difference for families like Pat’s, visit nwairambulance.org.uk today and learn how you can help.