London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Aug 01, 2026

106-Year-Old Fundraiser Gets The Prime Minister's Honour In UK

106-Year-Old Fundraiser Gets The Prime Minister's Honour In UK

Joan Willett walked 17 miles ahead of her 104th birthday to raise 60,000 pounds (roughly ₹ 6100,600) for the British Heart Foundation.
A British centenarian woman has demonstrated that age is no barrier to doing good charitable work. The 106-year-old Joan Willett, who overcame two heart attacks, is an amazing person for more reasons than just her astonishing age.

When most people would have chosen to relax and recuperate at this age and after experiencing significant health issues like cardiac arrest, Mrs Willett raised 60,000 pounds (roughly ₹ 6100,600) for those suffering from heart-related illnesses.

The Metro reported that Mrs Willett, a former teacher who had survived a heart attack in her 80s, used her second chance at life to help others and earn money for charity. She was motivated to use her everyday workout to support heart research after seeing Captain Tom on TV during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And now just ahead of her 107th birthday, she's received a Points of Light Award from the prime minister, given to ordinary people doing extraordinary things for their community.

According to the British Heart Foundation, Joan Willett won the nation's heart by walking more than 17 miles up and down a hill outside her Hastings care home during lockdown leading up to her 104th birthday, raising over 60,000 pounds (roughly ₹ 6100,600) for our lifesaving research in the process.

Dr. Charmaine Griffiths, our chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said: "Joan is such an exceptional person. Her incredible fundraising for the BHF during the pandemic touched all of our hearts, and it's just wonderful to see her recognised by the Prime Minister and the Points of Light awards.

"Having been a heart patient herself, she knows just how important research is, and the 60,000 pounds she raised will fund more research to help countless others live long and fulfilling lives-just like Joan."

According to Mrs Willett, she underwent bypass surgery and had a heart valve replaced to help her live to 100 and beyond. She now wants to see others have the same opportunity.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Finland Deploys Commercial-Scale Thermal Batteries Using Crushed Rock to Store Renewable Grid Energy
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
Sainsbury Agrees to Sell Argos in £120 Million Deal to Private Consortium
High Court Clears Way for Construction of Chinese Embassy at Royal Mint Court
UK Fuel Prices Climb to Multi-Month Highs as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Disrupt Oil Supplies
Severe Summer Drought and Record Heat Put UK Harvests at Risk
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Faces Labour Backbench Opposition Over Potential Support for New North Sea Oil and Gas Drilling
Bank of England Warns Inflation Will Stay Above 3% as Middle East Energy Shock Prolongs Cost-of-Living Pressures
Andy Burnham has Announces Plans to Redistribute Income Tax Revenue to English Mayors
Early-Release Scheme Faces Fresh Scrutiny as Reoffending and Prison Recalls Rise
Police Phone Checks Followed Report on Murder of MI5 Agent Inside Sinn Féin
Archbishop of Canterbury Reaffirms £100 Million Reparative Justice Fund During Ghana Visit
Charities Allege French Police Used Tear Gas Against Channel Migrants
Norwegian Teenager Convicted Over Iran-Linked Murder Plot in Britain
Christian Organisations File Charity Complaints Against Amnesty International UK
Ofgem Tightens Grid Connection Rules for New Data Centres
FTSE 100 Reaches Record High Despite Global Technology Sell-Off
Millions of UK Households Urged to Check Eligibility for Winter Energy Discount
Labour Restores Parliamentary Whips to Diane Abbott and Joani Reid
UK Supreme Court to Hear Challenge Over Palestine Action Ban
UK Commits More Than £8.4 Billion to Dreadnought Nuclear Submarine Programme
England Declares Severe Drought as Wildfire Burns Near Sizewell Nuclear Site
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Tensions Fuel Inflation Risks
Drought Status Extended Across All of Wales as Heat and Dry Weather Deepen Environmental Strain
Record-Low Danube Exposes Probable Mammoth Remains in Bulgaria
UK Business Confidence Climbs to Four-Month High
Greater Manchester Gains Expanded Powers Under Regional Funding Reforms
UK Supreme Court to Hear Appeal Over Palestine Action Terror Ban
Shell's Quarterly Profit Doubles to Nearly $10 Billion on Higher Energy Prices
UK Government Removes VAT From Household Electricity Bills
Exceptional Drought Grips Half of England as Wildfire Threatens Sizewell
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Risks Persist
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
The chief executive of the popular gaming company laid off many employees and his pay rose to 38 million dollars
UK Employment Holds Steady as Wage Growth Remains Moderate
England to Introduce Artificial Intelligence into Secondary School Curriculum
Wales Launches £1.2 Billion Industrial Regeneration Programme
High Court Upholds UK Digital Surveillance Framework
Northern Ireland Reaches Budget Agreement on Infrastructure and Public Sector Pay
Home Office Expands Digital Border Checks Nationwide
UK Approves Major North Sea Wind and Carbon Capture Project
The World's Most Terrifying Smartphone: Recording, Documenting, and Reporting to the Regime
Scotland Approves Major Renewable Energy Expansion
UK and United States Sign AI and Semiconductor Cooperation Pact
UK Treasury Tightens Fiscal Controls After Gilt Market Volatility
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 4.5%
UK Unveils £10 Billion NHS Funding Overhaul and Workforce Reform
The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet
UK: Former Football Association Leaders Call for World Cup Boycott Over FIFA Privatization Plan
Forbidden Love: China severs millions from their virtual partners
×