TWO teams of valiant Vikings will be taking to the water this weekend to celebrate the life of a much-missed Pen Llyn woman.

The Nefyn community was rocked by the death of 54-year-old grandmother Val Jones who passed away just weeks after her pancreatic cancer diagnosis last summer.

To celebrate her life, and to raise money for the hospice which offered her “absolutely fantastic care“ during the last week of her life, Val’s family has decided to enter two boats into this year’s Dragon Boat Challenge.

The two teams, monickered ‘Val’s Vikings’, will comprise of 30 to 40 people in total and are taking on the 2018 St David’s Hospice Dragon Boat Challenge this Saturday, 30 June on Llyn Padarn, Llanberis.

This fantastic day will see 30 teams racing 40foot-long Hong Kong Dragon Boats on Padarn Lake, with the quickest team to be crowned champions at the end of the day.

Val’s husband Albi and her daughter Ffion will be in charge of the two teams and hope to raise a significant amount of money.

Ffion, who works at The Ship Inn, Edern, alongside her father, was expecting the day to be a true testament to a woman who raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity herself.

“Mum was such a caring woman, she was always looking out for other people,” explained Ffion.

“She was always busy with a different fund-raising events or working as a committee member for Ty Gobiath. Whether it was through bike rides for the British Heart Foundation or organising a group of us to take on a Commando Trail, she raised five-figure sums for charity all the time.

“She also liked to help local causes, like the school or nursery in Nefyn, by organising smaller fund-raisers for them.

“What she loved most, though, was spending time with her grandchildren Noa and Gwen - she adored nothing more than spoiling them.”

Although the two teams have not yet been finalised, there will be a mix of locals from The Ship Inn and Val’s friends, and well-wishers on the day.

Everyone is expected to raise at least £50 but one participant has already raised over £1,000 by themselves.

“It will be a lovely way to say thank you to St David’s Hospice who looked after her so well in her last few days,” explained Ffion.

“They made a terrible situation a lot more bearable.”