AMAZING efforts on two wheels and on the dance floor have helped to raise nearly £8,500 for charity in memory of Chard woman Angie Gerrard.

A sponsored bike ride from Angie’s home town of Portsmouth to Chard and a charity ball at the Guildhall coined in collected a whopping £8,496.

Representatives of Cancer Research UK and St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice were on hand on Sunday (July 19, 2015) to each receive a cheque for £4,248.31 during a presentation lunch and ceremony at Cricket St Thomas Golf Club.

Event organiser Malcolm Gage said: he would like to thank everyone for their support and helping to raise the fantastic amount of money.

“There are too many people to thank and I don’t want to leave people out, so therefore a big thank you to everyone who helped – especially the sponsors and Angie’s friends from the Caraway Gang.

“But the bike ride was organised by my best friends of 16 years Peter and Alison Leech, from near Cheltenham, who over the years have raised thousands of pounds for charity.

“Days before she died Angie asked me if I would raise some money for charity and I’m absolutely delighted with the result.”

Angie died of cancer in June last year at the age of 44 and her passing devastated her family.

But it has inspired a wealth of fundraising for cancer charities including the Chard-based calendar project and the subsequent forming of the Ribbon Cancer Support, Awareness and Fundraising group. The cycle ride from Pompey to Chard and the Angie Gerrard Charity Dance and Disco – which featured live music with the band Phoenix – was held on June 5-6 this year earlier this summer to coincide with the first anniversary of Angie’s death.

Angie’s husband Rob has said that the good work of fundraising has helped to keep her memory alive and the cycle ride could become an annual event.

Rob said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has helped with the fundraising,” he said who was at the cheque presentation along with their children Matthew and Kayleigh and Angie’s mum Phyl Hack."