In the course of our many interviews with local people we have met those who have led exciting lives and those who have done a great deal of good in different ways. Rarely have we encountered someone who has combined the two as much as Christine Gibbons. She began our talk by saying “What I’ve done is idiotic, but I did it for a particular reason.”

First, her background. She was born in Cleethorpes on the coast of Lincolnshire but has spent most of her life in Oxfordshire. Her first job was working in the advertising department of the Oxford Mail. This was followed by marriage to her late husband John and the birth of two children, Samantha (Sam) and Adam. She then went to work for Cluttons, the estate agents, as their advertising and publicity manager. She was based in their Oxford office but her job covered all their 27 offices. By this time they were living in Barns Lane in Burford.

One event turned out to be a key moment in Christine’s life, although she did not realise this until later. Sam’s best friend, Libby, died of leukaemia at the age of ten. Some years later Sam gave birth to Christine’s first grandchild, Joshua. Christine recalls walking into the hospital and holding Joshua in her arms for the first time. “I suddenly felt guilty that Libby’s mum and dad would never have that moment”. She determined to do something about this. Her chosen cause was CLIC - Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood. This later merged with Sargent Cancer Care for Children to became CLIC Sargent and now operates as Young Lives vs Cancer.

This charity provides day-to-day support to children with cancer and their families, helps them with additional costs such as travel and heating, runs Homes from Home near major hospitals in which families can stay and provides bereavement support. Her first effort was to do a sponsored walk on the Ridgeway. Then John, who was a keen golfer, suggested a charity golf tournament. This became a regular event at Studley

Wood or the Oxfordshire Golf Club. They found sponsors for the event and recruited celebrities to take part. A motor racing enthusiast, she persuaded Jason Plato and Tim Harvey, both British Touring Car champions, to support the event and Mike Brewer, presenter of the Wheeler Dealers TV show, acted as host. At one of them a sponsor brought along his two (two!) helicopters and gave rides in them at £5 a go.

More challenges came along. The first was a four day bike ride in Israel from Jerusalem to Eilat across the desert “sleeping with scorpions.” She didn’t have a bicycle so she bought a second-hand one to practise on. “I haven’t ridden one since.” 

Next was the Three Volcano Challenge which involved climbing Vesuvius, Stromboli and Etna in four days. “I got sponsorship from all over the place”. Back home she organised a couple of balls at St Hilda’s College and one at Blenheim Palace. Various businesses sponsored the decorations and the drinks and donated raffle prizes. Cluttons and the Hartwells car dealership where John worked were main sponsors. She ran a hula hoop championship for a number of local primary schools. “It was fun - the kids lovedit.” (“Fun” is a word she uses a lot.). She abseiled down the JR hospital. “After the first time I said never again, but I did”. Back on the road, she did the Icelandic Trek. This took five days including climbing Hekla (4,892 ft), one of that country’s most active volcanoes. “I had to sleep on ice and wash in geysers.”

Travel had to be curtailed when John suffered a stroke. He could still play golf after a fashion and pleaded with Christine to hold another golf tournament at Witney Lakes. “The money went to the stroke unit at the JR.” She took advantage of being at home by writing a short book for children about Fido, based on her own dog, Frankie. She sent copies to all and sundry including the Cambridges and Sussexes, near-royalty Frank Lampard (after whom Frankie was named) and Blue Peter, who sent her a badge. That is the only honour she has received for her work, not that she expects any such recognition. Her local work includes two years as business adviser for the Young Enterprise Group at Burford School. She also organised an art exhibition in Burford for V J Hancock Accountants.

When John had a second stroke they could no longer manage living in Barns Lane so the Stroke Association helped them to find a flat at Hunts Close. John was by this stage using a wheelchair. Christine looked after him for 11 years until his death in early 2020. She remains close to her family. Adam lives in Hertfordshire and is Director of Consulting Services at CGI, which provides IT services to businesses.

He has two children, one currently on a gap year and the other studying for A-levels. Sam is the Head of Administration and Finance at the Doctoral Training Centre at Oxford University. Her son Joshua, whose

arrival set Christine on the fundraising path, is now 27 and works for Virgin. “I am not a goody-goody”, Christine says. “I did it because I could and I enjoyed doing it. It’s been a lot of fun and I’ve met a lot of lovely people.” She has had a great deal of help from people in Burford. She is a little reluctant to name names but she singles out Karen Easton for her kindness in taking Frankie for walks during John’s final illness. Her final words could be her motto: “Just do it!

Editors