TWO Monmouthshire schoolgirls have been raising money for a disability charity by cycling a marathon distance in a week.

Seven-year-old Seren Wilcox and her sister Halle, four, have raised more than £800 for Leonard Cheshire Cymru so far.

The charity helps disabled adults in Wales stay connected during lockdown, using digital and assistive technology. Seren and Halle’s fundraising is part of a wider Challenge Cymru campaign which has raised almost £7,000 for the charity.

The girls wanted to take part in the challenge after hearing the work the charity did from their mum, Emma, who is a fundraising manager there.

“When my girls heard we were raising money for Leonard Cheshire with Challenge Cymru, they were desperate to get involved,” said Mrs Wilcox.

“They were so upset to hear that our care homes and supported living services could no longer accept visitors.

“The girls know how hard it is to be separated from loved ones and how important technology is for staying in touch with grandparents, cousins and school buddies.

“They were determined to raise money to ensure others had this level of connectivity, what we’ve called the virtual cwtch.”

While four-year-old Halle stuck to a 2.6km challenge, Seren and her mum didn’t stop at a marathon - actually covering more than 35 miles.

“We wanted to do it so the people using the services can still see their family,” said Seren.

“It was a bit hard. Especially the big hill by the Severn tunnel bridge. Then one day mum got us really lost.”

When asked about raising so much for the charity, she said: “It made me feel good and proud and I told my friends they should do it.

“I think everyone should do a challenge as it’s nice to help other people and be kind.”

Glyn Meredith, director for Wales, encouraged others to follow Seren and Halle’s examples.

“Challenge Cymru is not about setting yourself a mammoth endurance challenge," he said. "We want everyone to feel like they can make a difference, whatever they do. The charity sector is down 48 per cent on income and operating costs are up.

“The people we care for need the support of their communities more than ever.”

You can find out more about Challenge Cymru by contacting WalesEvents@leonardcheshire.org , or if you would like to donate to Seren and Halle’s fundraiser, you can via justgiving.com/fundraising/Emma-Wilcox8.