Girlguiding Ceredigion members were present throughout the county to help alongside the Diabetes UK Sponsored Cycle Ride from Borth to Cardigan.

Colleagues Anwen Jones and Helen Saunders, community diabetes specialist nurses for Hywel Dda Health Board, were the cyclists braving the route of almost 100 miles.

They were fundraising along a route that passed via every surgery area they covered. 

Brownies covered the stops in Lampeter and Llanilar while Guides manned the stop in Cardigan.

All the girls helped cheer on the cyclists as they passed through, handing out refreshments along with lots of encouragement.

They were inspired to take on the challenge by the patients they support, and had encouraged others to join them for some or all of the journey.

They were joined on the day by around 25 other cyclists, including individuals living with diabetes, and supported along the route by friends and family, Diabetes UK Cymru team members, as well as Lampeter’s Brownies and Girl Guides groups.

The ride raised a total of £4,500 thanks to generous donations from local companies and businesses, as well as bucket collections on the day.

Helen and Anwen kicked off their fundraising earlier this year with a dinner and auction at the Llanina Arms in Llanarth, which raised over £7,000.

This takes their total amount to an impressive £11,500, beating their initial target of £10,000.

Anwen, 46, said: “We wanted to do something this year to raise awareness of diabetes locally, and support Diabetes UK Cymru, and set ourselves a target of £10,000.

“Many of the people Helen and I support are living with Type 2 diabetes and increasing their activity levels would really make a difference to their health.

“We hoped to inspire them to take on some or all of the cycle route, to kick-start a more active lifestyle and feel empowered to do more to manage their condition."

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition tomorrow