Crickhowell couple Ruth Cornish and John Hyde raised almost £300 for a local heart charity at the weekend, by selling entries to the North Gwent Cardiac Rehabilitation and Aftercare charity’s annual fundraising Potato Growing Challenge.

The couple’s pop-up stall, outside Treebeards Bar in Crickhowell High Street, proved a big hit with shoppers: “We set ourselves a target of selling 40 Challenge kits by the time the rugby started, and we were amazed by the response: people loved the idea,” said Ruth, who plans to complete six fundraising tasks for the charity this year, to mark her 60th birthday.

The Potato Challenge was her second task, following on from her fundraising Massage Day on St David’s Day, which raised £200 for the charity.

There is still time to enter the challenge, with potato growing kits available from the charity’s stall at the Abergavenny Garden Centre this weekend - March 14-15, and next weekend - March 21-22, from 10am-4pm.

Now in its fifth year, the annual challenge raises funds to support long-term cardiac rehabilitation exercise classes, and this year the chairity is especially keen to involve local schools and community groups, to encourage even more people to get growing together.

“It’s a simple, friendly way to get involved in gardening, whether you’re a seasoned grower or trying it for the first time,” says Charity Chair Jacky Miles, MBE, “And we’re delighted that the fabulous team at the Abergavenny Garden Centre will be sponsoring the challenge once again.”

Proceeds from the Challenge, which runs until the official harvest weigh-in on July 11, will help fund the charity’s work providing community-based cardiac rehab exercise classes across the region.

The North Gwent Cardiac Rehabilitation & Aftercare Charity provides a weekly programme of long-term cardiac rehab exercise classes designed to help people living with heart conditions regain and maintain their fitness and confidence and stay healthy, active and independent.

For more info, go to cardiac-rehab.org.uk