FOR a number of years Gareth Kinch has raised money for a charity each year. This year he is holding a race night for the Children's Hospice South West.

Gareth will be 25 on St Patrick's Day, March 17. The race night, at the Rose and Crown at Sandford, will be held on Saturday, March 13, the nearest date to Gareth's birthday.

Gareth has sponsors (£20 a race) for nearly all the eight races and has been looking for one or two more. Contact him on 07807 792 363 if you are interested. Sponsors include the Gen Sir Redvers Buller public house, where Gareth works.

Last year he raised £380 for ELF when he took part in the Great West Run. When he worked at Exeter Hospital Radio he helped fundraise for that.

Gareth is a co-presenter of Exeter FM 107.3 sports show every Saturday. He studied radio production at St Helen's University, Liverpool, where he met his girlfriend who is now a nurse at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. Gareth hopes to make a career in radio.

He chose the Children's Hospice South West because he did a radio presentation there shortly before Christmas. "I met a young lady there whose daughter was ill. I thought if a sum of money can bring happiness to a child in those circumstances, it was worth doing. It was very moving meeting that lady and seeing the work of the Hospice," said Gareth.

He was born in Sandford, grew up there, is Sandford "through and through" and has played rugby with Crediton RFC for nearly all his life, although his radio job now means rugby has been put on the a sideline.