CARYS Hope Nicholas, of Cardigan, has set herself the target of raising £1,000 for charity when she undertakes a sponsored handcycle at the town’s Tesco store on Saturday, 9 July.

Wheelchair-user Carys, who has spina bifida, joined the local Slimming World class to lose weight, eventually deciding to buy a hand cycle.

“It’s just like a conventional exercise bike and uses just as much of my energy plus it registers the miles I am doing,” she explained.

“I then had the idea that not only could it benefit myself but others.”

Carys decided that she would do a sponsored cycle to collect funds for two very special charities in her life - Mencap Ceredigion and Shine Cymru.

“Both do amazing work, yet do so with very little money and I felt that they could do much more if they had some extra funds,” she said.

Janet Kench, chair of Mencap Ceredigion, said: “We have known Carys for years, she is a great friend and supporter of the charity and we admire her positive enthusiasm about life in general despite her own disabilities."

See this week’s south editions for the full story, in shops and online now