Eight midwives based at Nevill Hall Hospital and within the local community are planning a series of fund-raising activities designed to deliver a £14,000 cash boost to women’s cancer research.

The highlight will be taking part in the first women-only cycle challenge from London to Paris next year.

The three-day event will involve 200 cyclists of all abilities following a 240-mile route through rolling English countryside and the breath-taking panorama of Northern France to a spectacular finish at the Eiffel Tower.

Under the banner Women V Cancer, the event is being managed by Action for Charity to raise funds to fight breast, cervical and ovarian cancers.

Between now and then the Abergavenny midwives are organising a host of other fund-raising activities, including a Calendar Girls-style photo-shoot for a 2018 calendar, a summer fete at the hospital and a Bangers and Mash evening with a live band.

They’ve already made a start by selling homemade cakes at weekend Abergavenny Cycle Club events.

“We’ve all known someone close to us who has had to deal with ovarian, breast or cervical cancer so we’re passionate about raising the profile of the cause as well as bringing the local community together for fund raising events,” said Brydon Williams.

“Apart from a lot of training we’ve committed to raising £14,000 between us over the coming year.

“It’s really difficult for us all to get together as a group because of our shift patterns. We’ll have to do most of our training for the cycle challenge individually.

“We’ve just set up a Facebook page (Delivery girls) where you can keep up to date with what’s going on.”

Most of the group completed the Women v Cancer ‘Ride the Night’ cycle ride around London last year, each raising £200.

The 100k route, which started and finished at Royal Windsor Racecourse, took the cyclists past many of the capital’s best known landmarks.