The brother of a 26-year-old snowboarder who died in a horrific accident in France last December will be embarking on a 1,100 mile cycle ride to raise money for a charity set up in her name.

Hackney Gazette: The family of Emily Watts, better known as Mimi or Mims, have set up a charity to remember her after she died in a tragic skiing accident in ChamonixThe family of Emily Watts, better known as Mimi or Mims, have set up a charity to remember her after she died in a tragic skiing accident in Chamonix (Image: Archant)

Rory Watts, 28 of Englefield Road, De Beauvoir will be cycling from Vancouver to San Francisco this Sunday to raise money for charity Good Story, which helps to fund entrepreneurs in the UK.

The charity takes its name from the women’s snowboarding clothing label his sister Emily was planning to set up before her tragic accident while boarding in the French Alps on December 8. After suffering a cardiac arrest, she fell into a coma, and her life support machine was turned off five days later.

The vivacious and popular design student had gone to Chamonix to find work during the ski season.

“She was incredibly creative and an independent spirit. She did not follow the norm. I remember one year she went to Glastonbury wearing a crazy dress she had designed. A photographer who was producing a book about Glastonbury singled her out from the crowd and did a photo-shoot of her.”

Speaking about the reason they set up the charity, Mr Watts said: “We wanted a way to remember her. We wanted to direct our energy towards something positive. It’s difficult to sit around and do nothing. Setting up the charity allowed us to pay tribute to her creative energy and give other people the opportunity to set up their own businesses.

“Unfortunately death is inevitable. It’s going to happen to all of us eventually. Only the ideas we leave behind survive and this is an inspiring way to remember her.”

Family and friends of Miss Watts, who was also know as Mimi and Mims, have been fundrasing since December. They have raised approximately £40,000 so far. The first major funrdraiser was a charity auction in March while the bike ride will be the second one. Money has also been donated by friends and clothing company Lavenham Leisure will be donating some of the profits they make from some of Miss Watts’s fashion designs to the charity.

The chairty has helped 20 people so far including Hackney fashion company Bon Bon.

Mr Watts, who works as a web designer in Clerkenwell, said that he hoped the ride and charity would do her proud, saying: “I will always miss her. Not a single day goes by where I don’t think about her in some way. Hopefully this ride will do her proud and the charity will leave a positive impacy behind.”

n. To sponsor the Good Story bike ride, visit https://believe.in/fundraising/rorywatts/245#/245.