A brain-injury survivor has raised a landmark total of £100,000 over 21 years for the Oxford hospital which saved his life – twice.

Andrew Baker, from Didcot, started raising money for the Children's Hospital at the John Radcliffe in Headington when he was 14 years old, and has not stopped since.

Along with this charity Play2Give, the 35-year-old has spent over half his life organising non-school uniform days, charity football matches, and sponsored walks for the hospital.

READ MORE: Didcot: Disabled woman has French Door request denied

To celebrate reaching the impressive six-figure sum, he was invited to a ceremony at the hospital on Wednesday, May 31, alongside members of the hospital and his charity.

Oxford Mail: Andrew Baker's fundraising milestone was celebrated at a ceremony at the John Radcliffe on

“It was just amazing. For 21 years, I have been giving back to this hospital that saved my life and made me what I have become now,” said Mr Baker, who lives in Great Western Drive.

Born with a brain injury at the John Radcliffe on June 5, 1988, doctors told his mother Ann that her son might not make it out of the hospital.

Fortunately, Andrew survived, but would not speak his first words until he was five years old.

Aged eight in 1996, he suffered a fall in the playground of Rose Hill Primary School in Oxford that worsened his brain injury.

There were no immediate effects of the fall, but, four years later, he developed a hematoma that left him needing surgery.

READ MORE: World War Two grenade fished out of River Thames in Abingdon

His mother Ann slept on a camp bed at the Radcliffe Infirmary - a now closed hospital at the southern end of Woodstock Road - to keep her son company.

The surgery was successful, and Andrew returned to school – then St Birinus School in Didcot.

In 2002, the Oxford Mail ran a campaign to raise £15 million for a new children’s hospital at the John Radcliffe, and featured Mr Baker as an example of someone helped by the hospital.

This inspired him to organise a non-school uniform day which raised £1,000. Over six years, the school raised £11,000 for the children’s hospital, which opened in 2007.

Oxford Mail: Early coverage in the Oxford Mail of Andrew Baker's fundraising efforts after the non-school

Mr Baker said: “It was just a way to say thank you for my gift of life because I wouldn’t be here without the John Radcliffe.”

READ MORE: Wantage: Two traders in finals of Muddy Stilettos Awards

Also in 2007, he started his own charity – Play2Give – which was born out of a football tournament he organised at Tilsley Park in Abingdon.

The charity has raised money through fundraisers like a black-tie gala ball, Christmas Santa fun runs, and a superhero costume charity walk.

In 2017, £40,000 was raised to open the Play2Give Room at the Children’s Hospital for teenage patients facing long-term hospital stays.

Mr Baker said it was ‘emotional’ to be thanked for his efforts at the ceremony last week.

“When I first started raising money, I never would have imagined that I would reach this landmark,” he said.

David Child from Oxford Hospitals Charity said: "It was a pleasure to celebrate Andy, his mother Ann and the wonderful team's success this week.

"The Play2Give Team are very special friends of Oxford Children's Hospital Charity and their lifetime donations of 100K have helped to support countless projects, benefitting so many young patients over the past 21 years. 

"The Oxford Children's Hospital Charity funds projects of all different shapes and sizes, from extra toys and books to state-of-the-art equipment.

"The average children's project costs approximately £8500, so it is clear to see the impact that Play2Give's contribution will have had over the years.

"Our fantastic community of supporters never fail to inspire us, and Play2Give is no exception. Thank you for all you do for the Children's Hospital."