Charlotte becomes the face of Bent's 2006 charity (From Warrington Guardian)

Charlotte becomes the face of Bent's 2006 charity

A YOUNGSTER living with a serious illness has proved the inspiration for a year-long charity fundraising initiative.

Charlotte Adams, aged 12, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth.

But her determination to cope with the UK's most commonly inherited disease, has inspired Bent's Garden Centre to name the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as its charity of the year for 2006.

The Fearnhead youngster will be the face of their campaign and hopes to attend some of the fundraising events the centre has planned for 2006.

Her mum, Collette Rigby, said: "She is a very strong character and she was very excited to be asked to do this."

In 2005, Bents raised £4,500 for the Kirsty Howard and Francis House Children's Hospice appeal.

Matthew Bent, retail director at Bents said: "After the success of last year and our relationship with Kirsty Howard, we thought it would be very hard to choose another charity.

"But when we heard about the challenges that Charlotte and her family have had to overcome, we knew we had found the ideal cause."