THE vicar of an Abergavenny church set himself a tough challenge to raise money for his church and a well-known national charity.

Last August, accompanied by two of his parishioners, the Rev’d Julian Gray, vicar of St Teilo’s Church, Llantilio Pertholey cycled 47 miles along the towpath of the Monmouthshire/Brecon Canal between Brecon Cathedral and St Woolos Cathedral, Newport.

The ride took him and his intrepid cycling chums nine hours to complete, but it raised £3,600 which was divided between the Chapel of Reflection planned for the churchyard at St Teilo’s, the restoration project for Bettws Chapel and the Motor Neurone Disease association.

The tireless trio, Father Julian, Stephen Bull and 17 year old Osian Jones presented a cheque for a third of the money raised to Richard Shackelford, regional fundraiser for the MNDA charity at a coffee morning at St Teilo’s held in aid of the same charity. The event raised a further £320.

The charity was chosen by the cyclists in memory of Father Julian’s mother Audrey Gray, Osian’s great aunt Audrey and Margaret Turner, a much-loved member of the St Teilo’s congregation who all died from the disease.

Guests at the coffee morning included the AM for Monmouth Nick Ramsey, his wife and their three month old baby son James Rhys who was wearing his first Welsh rugby jersey for the occasion, in recognition of the Wales/England Six Nations match that afternoon.

Helping serve the tea, coffee and cakes was Mali Carlsen of The Old Mitre, opposite the church, as one of the challenges for her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. She had also made some of the cakes. Richard Shackelford thanked the intrepid trio for their contribution and said the charity is celebrating the 40th anniversary this year. Father Julian thanked everyone who supported them and paid tribute to the support crew - Jessica Graham, churchwarden at St Teilo’s and Peter Knapp a member of Bettws Chapel. He said they would not have completed the ride without their help.