Two charities are set to benefit from this year’s St Albans Charity Cycle Ride rather than the usual half a dozen.

Each year, the three St Albans Rotary Clubs that organise the event nominate their own charities to benefit from the funds that are raised.

But as Christine Thomson, president of St Albans Priory Club and cycle ride committee member with responsibility for charities, explained, that is changing this year.

She said: “Usually half a dozen charities are chosen but this year, for the first time, the clubs have decided to reduce the number of benefitting charities to two, aiming to provide each with at least a five figure sum.”

One of the selected charities is Youth Talk which is based in St Albans and provides one-to-one counselling for young people aged 14-25 who live, work or attend school in St Albans and Harpenden.

The other is Keech Hospice Care, which provides specialist palliative care for children diagnosed with a life-limiting or terminal illness.