HAY-ON-WYE’S woman of gold is helping to organise a 24-hour sport challenge in her home town next week.

Thirty-two-year-old Josie Pearson, a Paralympian wheelchair rugby player and athlete, is representing Hay Sports, a community lead group which will be fundraising on September 7 – 8 from 6pm to 6pm to help support sports’ clubs currently using the recreation ground in Hay.

This will include bowls, cricket and junior and senior football clubs.

“We are passionate about keeping sport within our community as we feel it plays a vital role in community spirit as well as being beneficial for physical and mental well-being,” said Josie, who became the first woman to compete in wheelchair rugby for her country at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.

After competing as a sprint athlete, she took up throwing events and won gold at the 2012 Paralympic Games in discus and went on to break the F51 discus world record.

As part of the home-nation celebrations, the Royal Mail painted a Hay post-box gold in her honour.

Next weekend the Hay challenge will showcase 17 different sports available in and around Hay, she explained. “We currently have nine people taking part in the full 24 hours and we hope to encourage as many of the community to come and have a go at any of the sports available or simply support and spectate.”

The activities will start and finish at the bowls’ pavilion in Hay and range from five-a-side football, target golf, tennis, cricket, archery, rounders, bowls, snooker and quoits to swimming, canoeing and fly fishing.

Josie had been a keen show jumper until a head-on car collision in 2003 left her with permanent spinal damage. But by 2005 she was taking part in a dressage exhibition and trained as a wheelchair racer before embarking on wheelchair rugby while studying neuroscience at Cardiff University.

For those interested in taking part in any of the activities on offer, a £10 donation per person is suggested. Sponsorship forms are available by calling Gareth on 07974 353121 or Josie on 07875000750.

Support can also be given on-line by visiting Hay Sport’s Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/haysports or going to Hay Sport’s Facebook page.

All donations must be collected and given to the Clerk of Hay Town Council at the Council Offices in Broad Street.

Money and forms can be placed in the council’s locked post box inside the building.