SARAH Jones Nash is about to set off on the most difficult 138 metres of her life.

She doesn't need your help - just your donations.

Her cerebral palsy leaves her with muscle stiffness and back spasms. Her wheelchair is too old and rigid to let her move enough to relieve the pain.

She plans to swim six lengths of Stokewood Road swimming pool in Winton to raise £10,000 for a new wheelchair which will allow her greater movement so can study, work and live in more comfort.

"The distance may not sound much but it's a real personal feat for me because although I used arm bands, I have to put a lot of effort in. I will have to work very hard," said the 22-year-old from Pinewood Road in St Ives, Ringwood.

Sarah has never completed more than four lengths in her fortnightly training sessions.

But she said: "A new wheelchair is essential for me to cope with the demands of work and study. My philosophy is life should be lived to the full."

Sarah lives with her parents Nigel and Jenny, who both teach English as a foreign language, but her wheelchair has no suspension and the dirt track to their home causes her pain.

"I suffer quite a bit with joint pains so anywhere that is slightly rough has quite a big effect on my lifestyle," said Sarah, who is taking a gap year out from studying Communications and Media at Bournemouth University, and who wants to be a journalist.

Cerebral palsy is not a terminal disease or a degenerative disease but Sarah's inability to move much has exacerbated the muscle stiffness and caused muscle wastage.

She said government vouchers only supply one tenth of the cost of the wheelchair she needs. She can walk from the chair to the toilet or a bed while being assisted but no further.

She said: "I'll be able to easily adjust my sitting position for comfort and use a seat rise to get things out of reach."

Sarah, who does voluntary work collecting data for a drug rehabilitation organisation called Jigsaw, is a former pupil of Ferndown Upper School and Treloar's College for disabled young people, Alton.

She said all donations would be gratefully recieved, and cheques could be made out to Sarah's Mobility Fund and sent to 16 Pinewood Road, St Ives, Ringwood, BH24 2PA. You can also email her at Sarahsmobilityfund@googlemail.

com.