Local fitness instructor, Bev Nichols, who has been fundraising for several different charities with the help of her fitness classes, will be taking part in a charity trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, in Peru, in April for AWP Mental Health Partnership.

Bev's Fitness classes have been raising money for the past three decades, with help and support from class members for a variety of different charities. The total raised has now reached a staggering £59,782 for organisations such as Bristol Children's Hospital, Meningitis Trust, Children In Need, Water Aid, Breast Cancer, Dorothy House Hospice, local cats and dogs homes, local Scout groups, Cerebral Palsy charities, Save the Children, C.L.I.C., Friends of Svetlagork, Diabetes UK, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and funds for a local schoolgirl's campaign, 'Go Blue For Lucia'. Bev's main charity for this year and the coming year is AWP Mental Health Partnership, with whom she is completing the trek to Machu Picchu.

On Saturday, 22nd November, Bev's Fitness held a Christmas Party at Writhlington School and a Nearly New Fitness Clothing Sale at Writhlington Sports Centre, which raised £1,400 towards the trek. She said: "Thank you so very much for all the help from my members over the years, I could not do this without you! Big congratulations to everyone for taking part and making this all happen. I love organising these events – to see people enjoying themselves is such a big part of it and for such worthy causes.

"I am so lucky to know so many lovely, kind, generous people out there that give up their time, help and money.

"Fundraising is a lot of work, but the benefits are so rewarding and well worth it. Together we have helped so many others in need over the years."

The trek and fundraising for the AWP Mental Health Partnership means a lot to Bev. Talking about her reasons for choosing the charity, she said: "I lost my dear brother, Martin Lye, at the very young age of 32 years-old. He was a gentle, caring giant, loved very much by all his family and friends and was a hard-working labourer with a passion for rock music.

"Unfortunately, he got into bad habits and started taking drugs. This eventually led to his sad, sudden death at his flat in Paulton, just after his birthday on 23rd August 2006. Such a waste of life. Martin would have been forty this year.

"During his later years, he was helped in rehabilitation on numerous occasions by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) Hillview Lodge, at the Royal United Hospital. They provide invaluable services for people with mental health issues relating to drug or alcohol dependency and mental health services with learning difficulties. I wanted to give something back to this unit in Martin's memory to help other people with similar problems, hoping they can help get them through difficult times and provide a brighter future."

Bev said: "I started training for this trip with my walking buddies, Tracy, Dave and Shirley, and son, Ollie, back in the summer. So far, I have walked to the highest point of the Brecon Beacons to Pen-y-Fan, hiked across Dartmoor for 16k on a wet, chilly Sunday and more

recently, a more challenging hike in October, reaching the summit of Mount Snowdon from the Llanberis route on

a sixty-mile-an-hour windy, cold day."

If anyone knew Martin Lye, or would like to sponsor Bev, please go to: http://www.justgiving.com/BevsFitness/">www.justgiving.com/BevsFitness/