Flintshire walker up for BBC Make a Difference Award

Gynette Janney, from Hawarden, and Lucy Cummins, from Essex, have been shortlisted from hundreds of nominations for a BBC Make a Difference Award.

The dynamic duo have been named together as finalists in the 'Fundraiser' category for the BBC Radio Merseyside region - given to an individual or group of people who have gone the extra mile to raise funds for a good cause.The Radio Merseyside winners, in a total of eight different categories, will be announced during a ceremony at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool on September 5.

Lucy Cummins and Gynette Janney meeting the founder of cancer charity Walk the Walk Nina Barough CBE (centre) during their 7 Ultras in 7 Days challenge.

Earlier this year, Gynette and Lucy completed their '7 Ultras in 7 Days' challenge, walking 260 miles from North Wales to London in just seven days. Their route took them from Saltney, near Gynette's home, through Shropshire, the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Herefordshire, covering at least 37 miles every single day, supported by Gynette's husband Seb, as well as Lucy's husband Andy and son Fraser.

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Gynette and Lucy met each other for the first time at a long-distance walking event in 2013. Since then, they have taken on dozens of marathon walking challenges together, raising more than £100,000 for breast cancer charity Walk the Walk. The charity is best known as organiser of the iconic MoonWalk London overnight fundraising event and grants funds to organisations across the UK living with breast and other cancers.

Gynette Janney, 52, is spurred on by family members who have been successfully treated for breast cancer and by the many fitness benefits which walking bring.

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She said: "It's such an honour to have been nominated as finalists in the 'Fundraiser' category. What makes it even more special is that we were both together when we completed our '7 Ultras in 7 Days' challenge in May and got a call from the BBC to say we were finalists. I am really looking forward to the awards evening in September and celebrating our achievement together."

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Lucy, 57, is motivated by the memory of her sister Ruth to keep walking and raising money. Ruth died from breast cancer in 2016.

She added: "I'm amazed to have been nominated and shortlisted and thrilled it's with such a lovely and inspirational friend. I couldn't do what I do without the support and backing of family and friends especially my husband Andy who supports all my events and fundraising. It's an honour to be recognised for powerwalking marathons and ultra marathons, a hobby that has changed my life."