Stroke survivor and Alton resident Sally Stoodley marked the end of an extraordinary fundraising journey on July 25 - St James’s Day.

Sally, 84, became the first person to complete the St James’s Way from Reading to Southampton in an off-road buggy, pushed by her daughter Jannine.

Sally wanted to raise funds for a new hoist for the stroke unit at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester where she was treated.

She then took her buggy journey further by completing the Camino Inglese to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

St James the Great, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, is the patron saint of Spain and of pilgrims. His feast day on July 25 is a significant event for those who take on the Camino pilgrimage.

So on July 25 - following a special service dedicated to St James - Sally handed the hospital a cheque for £3,300 in the company of family and friends who had come to celebrate her achievements at St Cross in Winchester.

Sally said she took on the challenge “to inspire generosity and motivate others”.

Asked by Winchester Radio what she felt about handing over the cheque to enable the purchase of the hoist, Sally said: “Great satisfaction, it’s long deserved. I mean it’s not a luxury - it’s an essential part of the equipment really.

“A lot of money was given, and very generously, so thank you very much all of you. It’s absolutely wonderful.”

Speaking about her journey, Sally added: “It’s been the most wonderful experience. I would encourage anybody to set themselves a goal and achieve, because actually everyone can do it.

“Even though you’re in wheelchairs, even though you’ve got problems, if you set yourself a goal the satisfaction in achieving that is worth every strain and struggle.”

Sally was delighted with the turnout for the presentation.

She said: “It’s lovely - they’re all friends and family and people that have been with us all the way through really, people who’ve donated and people that have wished us good luck at every step of the journey.

Praising the stroke unit at Winchester, Sally also outlined her vision for its future.

She said: “I think that the emergency services for stroke are wonderful and the ward work is wonderful.

“After that, where people need rehabilitation, what we’d like to do is provide a unit where people can get their rehabilitation, and get themselves walking, and a useful purpose in life.”

Jannine said: “We’ve set up Adversity to Adventure. That enables us to be able to fund some more of the off-road wheelchairs to enable other people to have their adventure, and they’ll be able to apply to borrow them to do their own Camino, to follow their own pilgrimage, or go wherever they want to - so that’s the next stage.”

But despite her grand trek, Sally hasn’t finished having fun yet, added Jannine: “With her project complete, all eyes now turn to what Sally’s next adventure will be - inspiring others with her indomitable spirit.”