A 15-YEAR-OLD boy from Kempshott is raising money for a cancer charity after witnessing several cancer cases and deaths in his family.

Andrew Aylward, a Year 9 student of Aldworth School in Basingstoke, is planning to undertake a 25-mile bike ride during the half term to raise money for Cancer Research, a charity close to his heart.

“I am doing this in memory of lots of members of my family who died of cancer and some who are fighting it,” Andrew said.

“There are too many people dying of cancer. It is time we found a cure. They can use the money I raise from this small gesture to do more research to find a cure.”

His mum Jane said Andrew is a sensitive and caring boy who loves outdoor activities.

“Andrew really likes cycling,” Jane said.

“So he thought why not combine his cycling with raising some money for Cancer Research. There has been a lot of cancer in our family unfortunately and we have had a few deaths too.”

He has already been preparing for the bike ride on Saturday, February 26. He is planning to cycle around Basingstoke and will record the ride using the Strava app and his bike computer.

Andrew has so far raised £240 out of his target of £500.

If you would like to contribute to his efforts, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/andrew-aylward1

Andrew has also helped in the making of an appeal video. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/jYfcbMsXP5U