Bicester couple near £1m for Alexandra House of Joy centre

Alexandra House of Joy was founded in 2018 by husband and wife, Ian and Rachel Scott-Hunter to build the site on Middle Wretchwick Farm in Bicester.

The centre was Alexandra’s dream and will support and care for young and old adults with profound learning disabilities and their primary care givers.

Alexandra died of sepsis in 2018 (Image: Contributed)

Rachel said: “This is a legacy to our very brave and inspirational daughter. If we walked away, it would dishonour all that she went through.

“We know first-hand what families like ours are facing – the worry, fear, stress, isolation and loneliness, day and night, year after year.

“Love drives us, but love shouldn’t mean having to struggle without support.”

Ian and Rachel Scott-Hunter has raised almost £1m in several years (Image: Contributed)

Alexandra, who was born at St David’s Hospital in Bangor, North Wales, suffered a brain haemorrhage four days after birth. This confined her to a life in a wheelchair where she was totally dependent on others. She died of sepsis in 2019.

From 1991, when Alexandra entered adult social care, the couple say they saw “how fragile and unfair the system could be” and now warn of a “shocking and disgraceful” erosion of adult social care.

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“We were heard, marginalised, excluded, ignored and utterly disrespected,” the co-founder said, “No-one was doing anything so we had to bring change.

“As services have disappeared, many are facing exhaustion, isolation and heartbreak alone.

“Families caring for people with profound learning disabilities in our community are being left behind.”

Despite this, the couple has raised £982,434 over the last eight years and are now only £17,565 off their £1m goal which will secure the start of the three-phase building project.

When the doors finally open, Rachel hopes her daughter’s legacy will be one “of love, courage and quiet strength.”

She said: “Our centre will offer care, hope and relief for people. People with profound learning disabilities will be valued and family caregivers will know they are not alone.”

Phase one, which aims to break the ground by early 2027, will see the construction of a four-bed purpose-built centre to support up to 25 families a month.

Phase two would add more bedrooms, extra activity rooms and a hydrotherapy pool, while phase three would see the creation of a small hospice service with two beds, a family lounge and relatives’ apartment.

Ian and Rachel Scott-Hunter with Bicester MP Calum Miller in December 2025 (Image: Contributed)

The charity has been supported by local businesses and organisations, including Bicester Motion, Bicester Village and Bicester Tesco, who have hosted fundraising events over the years.

A fundraising tandem skydive will take place at Brackley Airfield in July and MP Calum Miller, the charity’s ambassador, will be joining supporters to climb Snowdon in September 2026 to raise funds.