A Cumbrian wildlife enthusiast has cycled 1,000 miles as part of an ongoing charity challenge. 

Rhiannon Ridgewell is a volunteer for the Cumbria Wildlife Trust at the wildflower nursery at Gosling Sike, Houghton, and has been involved with nature conservation and protection since 1974, when she joined the British Trust of Conversation Volunteers aged 16.

2024 marks five decades of conservation for Rhiannon and to mark the milestone Rhiannon has committed to cycling 3,500 kilometres (2,174 miles) and raising £1 per kilometre she cycles as part of her '50 Shades of Green' challenge.

Rhiannon's challenge, which she began in January 2024, has taken her across Cumbria, and in March she crossed the 1,000-kilometre mark and 1,000-mile mark.

She has also raised £1,976 for Cumbria Wildlife Trust through her JustGiving page and is encouraging people to continue to support her challenge. 

Speaking at the start of her challenge, Rhiannon discussed her motivations.

She said: "I have been moping about an awful lot recently and I am still moping about and filled with despair and hopelessness and total frustration with how nothing is being done about the state of the world and the planet.

"I thought I needed something positive to focus on.

"This is doing something positive and I am actually quite fired up about it and looking forward to it."