A TEN-year-old girl who is organising a charity bike ride to support her terminally-ill grandma has smashed her fundraising target.
Sophie Doughty, of Church Crescent, Daybrook, decided to raise money for Maggie's Nottingham after Carol Roden, 55, was diagnosed with lung cancer in July.
She planned to raise £500 but donations have already been pouring in and now stand at just over £1,000 – before the bike ride has taken place.
The sponsored children's bike and scooter ride around Calverton is planned for Saturday, November 3.
"We expected about 15 people to sign up," Sophie's mum, Keeley Doughty, 32, said.
But, since she started publicising the event in September, 80 people have registered.
"We're absolutely overwhelmed with the response we've been getting," she said.
"People we've heard from so far have been mainly family and friends from Arnold and surrounding areas who have shown incredible generosity.
"We get at least two or three phone calls a day with people asking to donate money or buy raffle tickets or sign up for the bike ride.
"Someone donated £100. It's unbelievable.
"People want to do what they can to help.
"Facebook has been really useful for letting people know. We would have never thought it would get this big."
The bike ride will start from the Gleaners Inn, in Bonner Lane, which is having a barbecue to raise funds.
Sophie will hold a raffle at the event, with prizes including a Nottingham Forest T-shirt, signed by the players, and a voucher for a three-course meal for ten people at Bistro Live, in the Lace Market. "I'm happy I've sold so many raffle tickets already," said Sophie, a pupil at Willow Farm School, Gedling. "I'm really looking forward to the bike ride."
Mrs Roden, who works as a production manager on a root vegetable farm, said she was shocked by the level of support.
"I feel overwhelmed and bewildered.
"The response is absolutely lovely."
Maggie's offers emotional and practical support to patients and their families at its centre in the grounds of the City Hospital. To support Sophie, go to www.justgiving. com/Sophie-Doughty or visit her fund-raising page at www.facebook.com and search "Childrens sponsored ride for the Maggies Cancer Care Centre Nottingham".