autumn | winter 2010

in this issue
focus on... Cardiomyopathy | New Lyke Wake challenge | Healthy Heart Grants |
update on grants 03 First LURE medical graduates 06 project update 07
focus on... 08 look what we’ve been up to Introducing Hartley Heart 10

New Lyke Wake Walk 11 14th Yorkshire three peaks challenge 12 HRUK special

people Sheffield Brownies skip to the beat 13 Record breaking marathon man 13
HRUK in the midlands Nick Bill Trophy golf tournament 15 Drive in and Love
your Heart 16 HRUK special people Oddfellows celebrate anniversary 19

Thank you 19 HRUK support Sing for your Heart 20 Giveacar for HRUK 21

Leave a lasting legacy 21 company help Damart strikes gold 22 Let’s talk heart 22

Healthy Heart Grants First Healthy Heart Grants with Subway® 24 Healthy
Heart Grants 26 Healthy Heart feature Reluctant men get the message 28

Competition Win a luxury hamper 29 Keep your dil khush 30

national director’s message

Welcome to Pulse, Heart Research UK’s bi-annual newsletter that brings you
all the news from our pioneering charity. There are three big news stories in
this issue; one that should make adults and children, alike, smile – Hartley
our big, furry mascot who will be visiting schools and events across the UK
and two that show how successful partnerships can be in spreading the
Healthy Heart message. Look out for the first-ever Healthy Heart floor at an
NCP car park in Birmingham to encourage exercise by walking down the
stairs with healthy tips along the way and the first HRUK/Subway Healthy
Heart grants for projects in Wolverhampton and Leicester.
There’s a feature on cardiomyopathy as well an updates on our medical projects and the talented LURE
students who have just graduated as Doctors. Read, too, about all the wonderful people who have
fundraised for us, from a marathon man to a young lady collecting 5ps. We’ve also launched a South
Asians and their Hearts leaflet.
Enjoy reading Pulse and remember, if you have any stories to tell us, please get in touch.

PS Don’t forget to enter our text draw for two luxury hampers on page 29.

thanks
to our
partners
HRUK update on grants

update on grants
How we decide what to fund
Heart Research UK has a long history of funding
pioneering research into the prevention,
treatment and cure of heart disease. We want to
support the highest quality science and the most
talented scientists and clinicians, so that we can
make the best use of our resources; but how do
we decide which projects to award grants to?
We make sure that all our grant applications
are assessed by ‘peer-review’. This means that we
enlist the help of many independent scientific
experts and clinicians with different specialities
and ask them to give advice, their views and make
judgements. HRUK has three internal medical
review panels (MRPs), one for each of our grant
rounds, made up of these experts. They each meet
annually and assess the applications we receive
for grant funding.
HRUK also works with volunteer external peer
reviewers, who provide written expert feedback
to broaden and inform opinion about the
applications. This includes feeding back on issues
such as whether the aims are clear; whether the
work to be done is practicable and ‘do-able’ and
to assess the scientific and clinical merit of the
project. This feedback helps our internal medical
review panels to judge which projects should be
awarded a HRUK grant.
Our peer review process involves experts from
across the world, from as far afield as Australia
and as near as our home base in Leeds. We
approach scientists from the UK and overseas
in order to find the best specialists in their field
and get their input into our grant making. The
support we receive from our specialist reviewers
really is invaluable and much appreciated.
It ensures our grant making process is fair,
impartial and that we are funding the best
projects that will, in time, lead to better
treatments for people with cardiovascular disease.

Latest grant news

Our Clinical Research Training Fellowship programme gives talented surgeons and physicians the
opportunity to further medical research into cardiovascular disease, whilst developing their skills and
expertise. Mr Simon Duggan, a surgeon, and Dr Kalpa De Silva, a physician, have both recently been
awarded grants from HRUK totalling £251,744. Over the next few pages you can read more about the
projects they are doing and how their research could help patients with heart conditions in the future.

03
update on grants
 HRUK update on grants
Mr Simon Duggan - Investigating ‘reperfusion injury’
Coronary heart disease is an important public health issue and continues to be the largest
cause of death in the UK.
As the disease progresses, the arteries of the heart
become narrowed, restricting blood flow which
can lead to heart attacks and angina. Treatments
such as angioplasty and heart bypass surgery can
restore the blood supply to the heart muscle, but,
unexpectedly, the re-establishment of blood flow
(reperfusion) can lead to unwanted heart damage,
known as ‘reperfusion injury’.
Reperfusion injury happens because of reactions
that take place in the heart cells when the blood
supply increases. Small structures inside the cells
called mitochondria burn fuels such as glucose
to provide energy for the cells and power every
heart beat. During these reactions, by-products
such as free radicals are formed which the
cells can normally counteract. However, under
certain conditions these reactions can become
unbalanced leading to harmful levels of these
reactive by-products - known as ‘oxidative stress’.
Reperfusion injury is partly triggered by an
increase in ‘oxidative stress’ in heart cells which
in turn damages the mitochondria.
Mr Simon Duggan,
32, is currently a
cardiothoracic surgical
trainee at the University
of Bristol’s Heart
Institute (BHI). He
studied for a Bachelor
of Medicine and an
Intercalated degree in
Biomedical Science
at the University of
Southampton. He then
did his Academic Foundation Training for two
years at Southampton General Hospital and the
University of Southampton.
Simon explains why he applied to Heart
Research UK for funding and how his grant
will help people with coronary artery disease:
04
update on grants
The cause of this damage involves the opening of
mitochondrial pores which prevents them from
working and providing energy, leading to cell
death. Drugs that prevent pores opening, such
as antioxidants, have a protective effect against
reperfusion injury.
Scientists expect that coronary artery disease
influences the level of oxidative stress in heart
cells and, therefore, the mitochondria but, until
now, research has been limited to studying
‘normal’ hearts (with no disease). Using a new
experimental model, which closely mimics
coronary artery disease, Mr Duggan will study the
effects of the disease on the oxidative state and
mitochondrial pores and the impact it has on the
effectiveness of antioxidants.
Mr Duggan told us more about how this area
of research will help patients: “I hope that this
research will advance our understanding of
reperfusion injury and in the future may lead to
better treatments for patients undergoing heart
surgery and angioplasty.”
“It is apparent that despite recent advances,
reperfusion injury still occurs, with poor patient
outcomes. By completing this project, I aim to
improve our understanding of aspects of heart
cell function, in particular the mitochondria,
which may lead to more effective treatment
strategies in the future for patients.”
Even though Simon has a very busy professional
life he still finds time to pursue some of his
hobbies: “I have a keen interest in modern
European history and British politics. I also enjoy
playing cricket and golf and sometimes go sailing.”
After the project Simon will start higher surgical
training in cardiothoracic surgery in Oxford. He
hopes to then spend at least one year undertaking
Cardiac Fellowship training in the United States.
Dr Kalpa De Silva - Assessing heart muscle scar tissue after a heart attack
Heart attacks happen because of a sudden blockage of a coronary artery in the heart.
Quick treatment of this blockage reduces death rates and future illness, unless the heart
muscle has been badly injured and too much scar tissue has formed.
After a heart attack, patients undergo a procedure
called angiography to x-ray the coronary arteries
and look at blockages. If this reveals blocked or
narrowed arteries, patients are usually treated
with angioplasty or heart bypass surgery. These
procedures are often carried out regardless of
the degree of muscle scarring, but may not work
if extensive dead scar tissue has formed in the
heart because the injured muscle may not recover
even if the blood flow is restored. This means a
significant proportion of patients are exposed to
the risks of angioplasty or heart surgery with no
definite benefit.
Dr Kalpa De Silva, 28,
is a trainee cardiologist
at St Thomas’ Hospital,
King’s College London.
He is working towards
obtaining a PhD
and becoming a
consultant cardiologist,
with an interest in
cardiovascular research
and medical education.
After graduation from
medical school, he was appointed as a House
Officer and then Senior House Officer at St Bart’s
and the London NHS Trust.
During this time, he travelled to Sri Lanka and
worked as a volunteer doctor in the immediate
aftermath of the Asian tsunami, which inspired
him in his medical career: “One week after the
earthquake in 2005, my brother and I travelled to
the south of Sri Lanka to help as volunteers. As
soon as it happened it seemed like the instinctive
thing to do as my parents and family are from Sri
Lanka, making it particularly close to home. We
worked in camps trying to help people who had
Dr De Silva will develop, and test, a new method
for measuring the extent of heart muscle
tissue scarring which will be carried out at the
same time as patients undergo routine x-ray
angiography. Electrical measurements will be
taken from within the artery that has caused the
heart attack, giving information about whether
the heart muscle is scarred and permanently
damaged. Dr De Silva explained his project:
“The aim of this project is to develop a new
technique that can be widely used in hospitals, to
assess the extent of scarred heart muscle during
routine procedures. This would allow treatment
to be tailored to the individual needs of patients,
ensuring they receive the best possible care.”
been affected by the tsunami that had devastated
the area. After staying out there for three weeks
helping in any way we could, I was even more
inspired to work as a doctor back in the UK.”
Dr De Silva told us why he chose this particular
research area: “The significance of assessing
damage to the heart muscle has been known for
a long time. I hope that the research will lead to
a greater understanding about the principles of
measuring the extent of the damage. My ultimate
aim is to develop a readily available clinical tool
that could be adopted in all cardiac laboratories.”
When not in work, Kalpa is an avid cricket and
football player and fan. “I play football for a
local five-a-side team and play as much cricket
as I can, which is never enough. I am a relentless
Manchester United fan and enjoy making the
long journey from London to Old Trafford as
often as possible.”
In the long term, Dr De Silva hopes to complete
his special registrar training in cardiology within
the London Deanery training scheme. He would
also like to formally develop his interest in
medical education.
05
update on grants
 HRUK update on grants

First LURE medical graduates

Two talented students, the first to be awarded the unique University of Leeds Research
Enterprise (LURE) scholarships from HRUK, recently qualified as Doctors. Trusha Bhatt and
Simon Romaine graduated from the university’s medical school and are both starting their
working life in Yorkshire hospitals.

The £15,000 scholarships from Heart Research UK We wish Simon and Trusha every success with
gave them chance to not only carry out their careers. We’re sure they are the experts of
undergraduate medical research but to travel to tomorrow and we will come into contact with
the US to learn about research outside of the UK them again in the future should we fund more of
and to see some of the most advanced research their cutting-edge projects into the prevention,
centres in the world. treatment and cure of heart disease.
The scheme and scholarships are only given to
exceptional students and gave the young doctors
many opportunities not usually available to
medical students, giving them valuable insights
into pioneering research that could benefit
patients in the future. They also took part in
community projects and got first-hand business
experience to build their communication and
mentorship skills. Without the scholarship,
they would not have been able to develop this
experience at such an early point in their career.
Simon praised the programme that gives unique
opportunities to develop expert science skills and
play a part in research into heart disease:
“I was delighted to receive this scholarship from
Heart Research UK; it’s given me some wonderful
opportunities. I even travelled to Harvard
Medical School in the US, one of the biggest
research centres in the world. It is so important
to encourage medical students to get experience
of research. Cardiology has come a long way
because of new research and this has led to better
treatments and less invasive alternatives for so
many patients.
“My experience means that I can see the full
picture of medicine; not just recommending
treatments to patients but also understanding
the science behind them and the effort put into
developing them. Being able to do this at such
an early stage has definitely given me a passion
for research and I would like my future career to Simon and Trusha on their graduation day
focus on academic medicine.”
06
update on grants
project update

Infection and atherosclerosis

Dr Kathy Triantafilou
University of Sussex, awarded in 2006
When reading Pulse or visiting our website, you may often see us using the term
atherosclerosis. It is a disease commonly referred to as ‘hardening’ or ‘furring’ of the
arteries and is caused by the build-up of plaque within the arteries. This plaque is made up
of cells, fat, cholesterol, calcium and other substances found in the blood. Over time, as
the plaque thickens, the artery narrows, restricting the flow of blood which may cause heart
disease, angina, heart attacks and stroke. Sometimes the plaque may rupture, triggering a
blood clot to form, which may completely block the blood flow.

The risk of developing atherosclerosis is increased
by high blood pressure, high blood levels of low
density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, obesity,
diabetes, smoking and even infection.
A £54,225 grant we awarded back in 2006, to
Dr Kathy Triantafilou at the University of Sussex,
looked specifically at infection and whether it is
linked with atherosclerosis.
Dr Triantafilou explains: “Atherosclerosis is
a complex condition which is not completely
understood but recent evidence shows that
ongoing inflammatory processes in the body play
a part. The factors that initiate these processes
have not been clearly identified but potential
triggers may be high blood levels of cholesterol
or common bacteria such as Chlamydia
pneumoniae, which can cause pneumonia, and
Porphyromonas gingivalis, which can cause
inflammation of the gums.”
This project focused on possible triggers for the
inflammation involved in atherosclerosis and
the role of possible receptors which help our
immune systems to recognise infections. The
results showed that when cells which line the
blood vessels were exposed to high levels of LDL
cholesterol, followed by bacteria fragments, the
inflammatory response increased. This is the first
reported evidence that high cholesterol levels
coupled with bacterial infection may act together
to trigger processes that cause the formation of
atherosclerotic plaques.
“These interesting findings help to further our
understanding of the chronic inflammation
involved in atherosclerosis which in future may
lead to new ways of treating the condition,”
Dr Triantafilou told us. “The next step is to
study whether this interaction happens in other
experiments that more closely mimic real-life
physiological situations.”

07
update on grants
 focus On... cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy means heart muscle disorder. It is a condition that can affect people
of all ages. Disorders of heart muscle function usually result in the muscle not working
properly, leading to heart failure or changes in heart rhythm. In the early stages of the
condition symptoms may not be present and an individual may not be aware that a problem
exists until the condition progresses. Symptoms, if present, are similar to those of other
heart diseases. Cardiomyopathy cannot be cured, but supportive treatment, usually with
medication, can result in effective control of symptoms and prolonged life expectancy.

Types of cardiomyopathy
Normal heart
Most heart muscle problems are secondary to diseases or other factors
outside the heart muscle itself. When this occurs and the disorder
is a consequence of another medical condition, it is called extrinsic
cardiomyopathy, which can be caused by problems such as ischaemic
(coronary) artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, certain specific infections,
alcohol or some drugs.
Some types of cardiomyopathy are caused by specific problems within the
heart muscle itself, this is called intrinsic or primary cardiomyopathy. These
conditions are often inherited. There are three main types:
Dilated cardiomyopathy hypertrophic

Dilated dilated
ventricle
arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an inherited genetic condition.
If you have HCM the cells of your heart muscle wall are thicker making the
heart muscle stiff. This thickening of the muscle may cause the size of the
chambers of the heart to be reduced and can obstruct blood flow. It may
also cause sudden changes in heart rhythm.

Dilated cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is often an inherited condition and is the
most common form of cardiomyopathy. The heart muscle wall becomes
thin and floppy instead and the heart chambers become dilated, the heart
becomes enlarged and too weak to pump blood effectively around the body.

08
focus on
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular Some facts about cardiomyopathy
cardiomyopathy one in 500 people will develop hypertrophic
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy
cardiomyopathy (ARVC) affects the right side
one in 1,000 people will develop dilated
of your heart. It, too, can be passed on through
cardiomyopathy
families. This type of cardiomyopathy gradually
replaces the heart muscle cells with fatty tissue. in one in every 15,000 pregnancies, women can
When this happens the heart becomes weak and develop dilated cardiomyopathy
unable to pump blood sufficiently, and can cause
if one parent has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
sudden changes in heart rhythm. This disease
then his/her children have a 50% chance of
is usually diagnosed later in life and takes many
developing the disease
years to develop.

Jade Carr, a 17-year-old student from Cheshire, was diagnosed with

cardiomyopathy at just three-months-old. Her Mum, Lynne, became
worried that something was wrong as Jade was a poor feeder, could become
quite breathless and also sometimes had a blue tinge to her lips and above
her nose. Lynne took her to the doctors to find out what the problem
was and after a number of consultations doctors confirmed that Jade had
dilated cardiomyopathy.
“Doctors couldn’t pinpoint the reason for the condition at the time,”
Lynne told us, “they thought it had possibly been caused by a cough, or
Jade has won a number cold virus Jade could have had. However, six years ago I was also diagnosed
of trophies
with cardiomyopathy, so it now seems that there may be a family link to the
condition.”
Jade carried on regardless of her condition, which for a time was managed
with medication and regular check ups. She was a normal, active and fun-
loving toddler until her condition began to deteriorate and she was sent for
assessment for a potential heart transplant. After a six-month wait, Jade,
who was three and a half at the time, received her transplant at Harefield
Hospital in Middlesex.
Now, she is a fit and active teenager who has won a total of 66 medals at the
British, European and World Transplant Games. She regularly trains with
her athletic club - ‘Halton and Frodsham Harriers’ and also coaches table
tennis. Lynne is very proud of her Daughter’s achievements: “We’re so lucky
that despite Jade being diagnosed with cardiomyopathy at such an early age,
she has had some wonderful treatment and has grown up to be a sporty and
energetic young woman. She’s now in sixth form college studying for BTEC
Higher National Diploma, in Sports Development and is setting her sights
on a career coaching other people in how to excel in sport, just as she has.”

09
focus on
 look what we’ve been up to

Introducing…
Hartley Heart Hartley at school

We’ve got a new team member who’s already been a great hit with young and old alike.
Hartley, who will be seen in your area soon, is our very own cuddly, healthy mascot and
will be making public appearances at fundraising events, store collections and other events
across the country. On his first outing, at the launch of the NCP Healthy Heart floor in
Birmingham, one little girl, Emily, was so pleased to see him that she made her Mum stop the
car to give him a hug.

Hartley has really All this hard work means that Hartley needs
got into the swing to stay fit and active and so he’s been doing his
of things so far best to set a good example and make sure he
and has been busy gets plenty of exercise - he’s even been spotted
meeting and greeting working out at the local gym.
HRUK supporters –
With Sing for your Heart, Love your Heart and
encouraging them to
more Treasure your Heart campaigns just around
lead healthier lifestyles.
the corner, there’ll be plenty of opportunity to see
He’s also been a big hit
him in action. So when you see this larger than
in schools and the kids
life character, make sure you say ‘hello’.
love him. He’s been
entertaining pupils,
shaking hands, helping
out in lessons and even
handing out his own Hartley branded balloons
and worksheets. Peel Park Primary School, in
Bradford, is one of the lucky few schools that has
had a visit from Hartley recently. Headteacher,
Lloyd Mason-Edwards thought the visit was
great fun: “The children were delighted that
Hartley visited the school, he stirred up a lot of
enthusiasm and excitement. I think he’s doing
an excellent job in helping to teach kids about
the need to keep their heart healthy and we’ll be
looking forward to the next time he joins us in
the classroom.”

10
look what we’ve been up to Hartley hits the treadmill
New Lyke
Wake challenge

40 miles and still smiling

HRUK launched a brand new event this year, the infamous ‘Lyke Wake Walk’ – a demanding
40-mile crossing of the North Yorkshire Moors. 21 bleary-eyed, but enthusiastic trekkers,
woke at 2am to get ready for their journey across North Yorkshire and be the first HRUK
supporters to take on this hard, but rewarding, challenge. After being taken by mini bus
from the local youth hostel in Osmotherley, near Northallerton, walkers arrived at the coast
in Ravenscar to start the walk at 4am. Fortunately, the weather held out for the day, so
conditions were great for our determined walkers. Volunteer guides from the ‘New Lyke Wake
Club’, led by Gerry and Julie, were a tremendous help and made sure walkers were steered
in the right direction all the way.

After 16 - 18 hours of trekking, all our walkers
made it to the finish, at Osmotherley youth
hostel, in one piece. Despite the early morning
start and hard work, they all had a great, but
exhausting day. Simon Derry was one of the
intrepid 21: “All the team thoroughly enjoyed the
walk and a large part of that was down to the job
HRUK did in acting as our ‘support crew’ - the
food and drink was spot on, in terms of content
and interval timings, and the people at the
checkpoints couldn’t have been more helpful and
did a great job of keeping our spirits up.”
If you’d like to take part in next year’s Lyke
Wake Walk and face the ravines, steep climbs
and peat bogs of the North Yorkshire Moors,
please contact our Fundraising team on
0113 234 7474.
11
look what we’ve been up to
 look what we’ve been up to

14th Yorkshire
Three Peaks
Challenge
The weather was brilliant for our 14th Three Peaks Challenge with our walkers witnessing
the stunning Yorkshire Dales in all their glory. It was even clear enough to see over to
Morecambe Bay at the top of Ingleborough, the third peak. With 447 walkers taking part and
over £56,000 raised it was another successful event.

By 8am, everyone and everything was checked
and ready with our enthusiastic walkers
registered in record time at our ever - efficient
start tent. With plenty of new faces and our
regular walkers taking part in our flagship
25-mile challenge, in their teams or individually,
it made for a good day’s walking. People came
from as far afield as Northern Ireland, Wales and
even Germany to be part of this memorable, but
taxing, famous walk.
For the first time, we had a photographer at the
finish to take pictures of our fundraisers. It went
down really well and gave our walkers the chance
to have the moment they finished the Yorkshire
Three Peaks Challenge captured forever.
Thank you to everyone who took part and to all
the volunteers who helped out on the day.
We hope to see you all in 2011 for our 15th
Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge on 18 June.
If you’d like to sign up for next year just contact
our Fundraising team on 0113 234 7474.

Strictly come jiving

Dancers from across Yorkshire and the North East put their
glad rags on and came along to an afternoon of ‘Modern Jive’
in Wetherby. They put their fancy footwork to the test and
danced their cares away to help raise £550 for research into
heart disease.
This brand new event was a real success as couples took to
the floor to dance to modern jive classics. Tea and homemade
cakes were on offer to make sure the dancers didn’t run out
of steam too early. Some of our lucky dancers also won some
fabulous prizes in our raffle, including afternoon tea at a four
star hotel and vouchers for high street stores.
12 Dancing the afternoon away

look what we’ve been up to

HRUK special people

Sheffield Brownies
skip to the beat
The HRUK Healthy Heart interest
badge is proving a big hit, especially
with a group of Brownies from
Greenhill, in Sheffield. They were set
the challenge of seeing how many
skips they could do in a two-minute
period and, along the way, raised Showing off their Healthy
Heart interest badges
£246.
The 22 girls, aged seven to 10, from
172nd St Peter’s Greenhill Brownies, decided to fundraise
after learning about their amazing hearts when they completed their badge and took part in all sorts
of activities such as making posters, putting together a healthy packed lunch and listening to their
hearts beating, using a stethoscope.
Claire Allen, Brownie Guider of the group, told us how much they enjoyed getting involved:
“The girls really loved getting stuck into the activities to help them achieve their Healthy Heart
badges. The worksheets and puzzles provided by Heart Research UK were great so we decided to help
by raising some money.
“A sponsored skip seemed an ideal way to do this as it helped keep the girls active and got their hearts
pumping. Some girls managed about 160 skips in two minutes which was really impressive. It’s so
important that children get into good habits from an early age and learn to keep their hearts healthy.”

Record breaking marathon man

Richard Beasley, from Wargrave, Berkshire not only tackled
the mammoth challenge of completing the world’s biggest
run, the Virgin London Marathon, he also entered HRUK
records when he became one of our top marathon fundraisers
ever, raising over £9,000.
Richard had a very personal reason for raising money for
research into heart disease. In February 2009 Richard and
his wife, Louise, tragically lost their 24-week-old baby girl to
a heart problem, when a build up of fluid around her heart,
led to her heart not pumping properly. The whole family,
including their eight-year-old son, Isaac, were devastated.
“2009 was a terrible year for us and I really wanted to do
something positive in 2010,” said Richard when he explained
his inspiration for taking on his marathon challenge, “so I
decided to put my feet where my heart is and raise as much
money as possible for Heart Research UK.”

13
HRUK special people
 HRUK special people

Young Farmers’ fundraiser

Over 250 farmers of all ages turned out for a good old evening
of dancing and socialising at Skipton Town Hall and raised
over £1,000 for Heart Research UK.
After receiving a Healthy Heart Grant from HRUK a few years
back, Jen Throup, Social Secretary at Craven Young District
Farmers Association, decided she wanted to give something back:
“We were thrilled to be able to support Heart Research UK as we
know first hand about the excellent work they do. Everyone who
came along had a great night and really enjoyed themselves.”

Brother-in-law team’s London to Cambridge challenge

Despite the scorching weather, Kevin Baldock and Stuart Brown showed real pedal power when they
completed a 60-mile London to Cambridge bike ride, to raise money for HRUK. The dynamic duo set
off from Pickets Lock in North East London and rode through the countryside in Essex, Hertfordshire
and Cambridgeshire before ending at Midsummer Common in Cambridge where they were greeted by
friends, family and some well-earned refreshments.
“We both wanted to do something worthwhile and give something back to a valuable charity that
helps people like my Dad, who underwent a triple heart bypass in 2008,” said Kevin, one half of the
family cycle team. “We’ve raised over £700 which will go towards more pioneering research.”

Bon Voyage from Commons Speaker

New Palace Yard in Parliament was the setting for the big send-
off for father and daughter team, Ella Uziell-Hamilton and her
father Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East and HRUK
Trustee, when they began their whopping 180-mile cycle from
London to Paris. On hand to bid ‘bon voyage’ were a group of
MPs and special supporter, the House of Commons speaker,
John Bercow.
Ella endured the cycling challenge and told us about some of
the highs and lows of the journey: “It took us three days to
cycle to Paris. We travelled through some stunning countryside
and the final leg of the epic bike ride was utterly exhausting.
We eventually reached ‘The Arc de Triomphe’ tired, but
immensely rewarded. After taking three days to cycle to Paris it
took just two hours 20 minutes to get back on Eurostar!”

14 Fabian and Ella

HRUK special people

HRUK
in the midlands
Nick Bill Trophy golf tournament
Eighty golfers hit the green for the third annual
Nick Bill Memorial Tournament at the Robin
Hood Golf Club in Solihull and raised £5,500 for
Heart Research UK in the Midlands.
The players were treated to a tasty three-course
meal and a charity auction, where prizes included
a signed limited edition print of Johnny Depp by
Derren Brown, a Jeroboam of fine claret as well as
signed sports memorabilia. The original painting
of Sue Howell’s ‘Hold on to your Heart’ raised a
fantastic £1,000 at the auction.
The winning team, NatWest Bank Commercial
Centre Birmingham, was presented with the Nick
Bill Trophy and personally signed prints from Sue
Howells, Birmingham’s award winning artist.

Sutton Coldfield schoolchildren’s

heart warming donation
Children from The final fundraiser, a summer auction, raised
Highclare Woodfield £2,700 towards the grand total and prizes at
School in Sutton the auction included a signed Frank Lampard
Coldfield showed they England shirt, ladies’ pamper treatments,
had real heart when artworks and electrical goods.
they presented us
John Lloyd, HRUK’s Regional Executive in the
with a cheque for over
Midlands, has enjoyed working with the school:
£7,000.
“We’ve had a great year working with Highclare
The school held a Woodfield and the support we’ve had from
number of fun-packed pupils, parents and staff has been fantastic.
events over the last year We’d just like to say a big thank you to them
to support HRUK in the Midlands, its chosen again for all their hard work.”
charity. Staff, pupils and parents were all involved
in activities including a Healthy Heart week,
learning ‘Numbers by Heart’, the Sutton fun run
and a festive Christmas concert.
15
HRUK in the midlands
 Drive in and Love your Heart
Drive into Londonderry House Car Park in Birmingham, up to floor 6a and you’ll be amazed
to see a giant graffiti mural of Superman ripping his shirt open to tell you to Love your Heart.
It’s all part of a unique pilot scheme – the first-ever Healthy Heart floor in a UK car park.

The Healthy Heart floor is bright and inviting
and gives drivers and their passengers a reason to
park and walk down the stairs, ignoring the lift.
Each floor on the stairwells has a healthy message
with a motoring theme – “keep the spare tyre in
the boot, not around the middle” or “get fuelled
up and have your 5-a-day today” – all designed to
encourage you to keep heart healthy. Kids are not
forgotten, too, with friendly, concise messages
from Hartley Heart, HRUK’s cuddly mascot.
This involves no technology, no gimmicks – just a
simple health message that everyone can identify
with.”
Thanks have to go to NCP, Britain’s largest car
parking company who teamed up with Heart
Research UK to make all this happen. Their
Regional Managing Director, Graham Taylor,
thinks this is a “fantastic project” and “hopes as
many customers as possible will take advantage
of what is on offer.” To help even more, NCP have
donated car parking places around Birmingham
for a draw to raise money for HRUK.

Graffiti artist, Dave Brown, with his artwork

The Lord and Lady Mayoress cut the ribbon

National Director, Barbara Harpham, explains

the idea behind a Healthy Heart floor:
“We wanted to make everyone aware of the
importance of keeping your heart healthy in the
To win three months free parking at your
most impressive way. Part of that is by taking
preferred car park just text:
regular exercise. What better way, if you park in a
car park everyday, to Love your Heart than walk Heart1 - NCP Londonderry House,
down the stairs instead of taking the lift. As well, Heart2 - NCP Albert Street,
along the way, you can read healthy tips and bits Heart3 - NCP Albany,
of interesting information about the heart and Heart4 - NCP Newhall Street,
there you have it – the HRUK/NCP Healthy Heart Heart5 - NCP Royal Angus
floor experience.”
to 70099
On the launch day, Hartley was joined by the
Texts charged at £1 plus one standard network rate text. Heart
Lord Mayor of Birmingham, he was delighted
Research UK receives a minimum of £0.88 from each message sent.
that the city had been chosen for the first Healthy
Full terms and conditions can be found on our website
Heart floor and was full of praise for the idea.
16 “Often the best ideas are the most simple.
www.heartresearch.org.uk

HRUK in the midlands

Bank staff get sporty for HRUK
Staff from Deutsche Bank, in Birmingham, put
their fitness to the test at their annual Sports Day
and raised £1,300 for HRUK in the Midlands.
There were plenty of tired faces, and aching
muscles, after an action packed day of activities,
including a tug-of-war, banana dash and soccer
shoot-out.
Sporting activities weren’t the only thing on offer
for bank staff, family and friends. There were
giant games, face painters, bouncy castles, a free
BBQ and the Smooth Radio team was on hand
with top tunes. Plus there was the opportunity to
speak to our HRUK in the Midlands team to find
out more about how to keep kids’ hearts healthy.
Bank staff really are setting a Healthy Heart
example and have another fitness fundraiser
planned for later in the year; a 24,000 mile ‘Run,
Row, Ride’ event. Good luck.

Solihull Treasures its Heart

Schoolchildren from across Solihull dug out
their eye-patches and skull and crossbones and
went in search of treasure to support our heart
health promotional week, ‘Treasure your Heart’.
The campaign hit the streets of Solihull and
our team of Lifestyle experts set out to make it
a Healthy Heart town. Schoolchildren weren’t
the only ones to benefit from the activities on
offer, The Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Norman
Davies, had his heart health put to the test
when we visited his council chambers to take his
height, blood pressure and BMI measurements
and offered him tailored lifestyle advice to reduce
his risk of developing heart disease. He told us:
“Like many people, I know the importance of
regular health checks. I also know that when
leading a busy life these can sometimes be
overlooked. Hopefully, this campaign will prompt
people to take the time to have a heart check and
get advice on leading a healthy lifestyle.”
Thanks to all the schools that collected treasure
for us – we hope you’re all still taking good care
of your hearts.

Solihull pirates

17
HRUK in the midlands
 Lord Digby Jones
Lord Digby Jones, former Head of the
Confederation of Business Industries (CBI), was
the guest speaker at a sumptuous charity dinner
at Opus Restaurant in Birmingham organised
by HRUK in the Midlands supporters Richard
Usmar and Glynis Hunt, of Premier Planning
plc, and John Bill and Chris Pate, from Trafalgars
Accountants.
Around 90 guests, from across the Birmingham
business world, came to the event and joined
Lord Digby Jones, who generously donated two
auction prizes of a personally-guided tour and
lunch at the House of Lords. Everyone enjoyed
a wonderful meal and entertainment at the
evening and, thanks to the generosity of guests, a
fantastic £19,000 was raised.

Special thanks to…

Everyone who came along to the HRUK tombola stall at the Harborne Carnival and helped us to raise
over £600 on the day.
Customers of Waitrose in Harborne for supporting HRUK as part of the store’s Community Matters
Scheme which raised £300.
Country music lovers who visited the HRUK stall at the Country Music Festival at the Birmingham
Botanical Gardens, where we raised nearly £200 .
Teams from the Beaufort, The Malt Shovel, The Crown and the Heart Research UK 11, in
Birmingham, who took part in the second annual Dave Ashley Memorial Trophy Football
Tournament raising £526.79 for the charity.
All the walkers in the sponsored walk around Wroxall Abbey, Warwickshire, in aid of the Nick Bill
Memorial Fund.
Carl Robbins who ran the Knowle Fun Run and raised over £300 for the Nick Bill Memorial Fund.

Our supporters

Heart Research UK in the Midlands

Lee House, 6a Highfield Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3ED
18 0121 454 1799
midlands@heartresearch.org.uk
HRUK special people

Oddfellows celebrate
anniversary
It was not at all an odd day when Barbara
Harpham, HRUK National Director, went
along to celebrate with the Leeds District of
Oddfellows and pick up an impressive £9,000
for HRUK. “It was one of the most interesting
days out I have had all year,” said Barbara.
“I learned such a lot - the Oddfellows is a
friendly society with nearly 3,500 members in
Dr Colin Woodward, their Provincial Grand
the Leeds area and it was the Society’s 200th
Master, presented the cheque: “We have
anniversary this year. ‘Making friends and
thoroughly enjoyed helping Heart Research UK
helping people’ is their ethos and on the day,
wherever we can. We held a variety of entertaining
we were entertained by some old friends of
events including a Robbie Burns night, a
the Society, the Leeds Waits – the official town
Christmas fun night, a 70s themed evening and a
band - who had been in a procession in front of
‘Play Your Cards Right’ competition. I wanted to
the Town Hall with the Leeds Oddfellows over a
support the charity as it helps people like my wife
hundred years before.”
who had heart failure, but is now fully recovered.
I was delighted to present Barbara with a
generous sum of money.”

Thank you! A big thank you to everyone who has fundraised with their
own events for HRUK. We’re also very grateful to all the
grant making Trusts for their donations and families who
have been kind enough to send ‘In memory’ donations to us.
Since the start of the year:

Trusts In memory donations

almost £37,000 over £10,000

Laura Ferguson, Cleckheaton
£10 through a 5p collection
Stuart Moss, Leeds
£361: student events
Paula Drake, Bingley
£100: charity football match
Juliette Caton, Reading
£180: sale of CDs
Thomas Hinton, Sheffield
£240: Sheffield half marathon
Millie Lavelle, Preston
£97: Great Manchester Run
Alex Winfield, London Margaret Fields, Willoughton
£635: Bupa London 10K £80: fishing match
Mrs James & St Antony’s School Mr T H Gooder, Halifax
£40 £25: in lieu of 90th birthday gifts
Paul Noone, Olney PC Mick Amos, Wakefield
£730: London to Paris bike ride £90: fun day
Samantha Lee, Leeds Ruth Penalver and Brian Tyers
£100: Yorkshire three peaks Rayleigh £671: charity evening
Mrs A Butcher, Leeds RSM Tenon Accountants
£50: swim for your heart Chorley £156: dress down day
Jonathan Kempsey
Southampton £15: diet 19
HRUK special people
 HRUK support

Sing for
your Heart
Get your own antlers
Our annual festive fundraiser, Sing for your Heart is set for its sixth year and we want to
make it bigger and better than ever. We’ve created a brand new fundraising pack, crammed
with tips and ideas, to make sure your event raises the roof. It even includes some special
Sing for your Heart reindeer antlers to get the kids in the mood for a Christmas sing-song.

Packs are available all year for you to sign up to
take part between 8 and 15 December. It’s so
simple to Sing for your Heart, just get together
with friends, family, colleagues or as part of a
choir to sing your favourite songs. You could
hold a ‘sing-star’ karaoke night at home, organise
a school carol concert or keep commuters
entertained in your local railway station.
Whatever you choose to do, make sure you have
fun and enjoy yourselves.
We’ve had some great feedback from people
who’ve taken part in the past. Vicky Davies,
from Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, entertained
shoppers in Liverpool One shopping centre and
told us: “We really enjoyed getting together for
such a good cause at Christmas time,” and the
Lord Mayor of York, Councillor John Galvin, was
more than pleased: “It’s always great to help out
and singing carols with the children of Poppleton
Primary School was an extremely enjoyable
experience. We filled St Helen’s Square with joy
and reminded everyone what Christmas is all
about.”
To find out more about how you can get involved,
or to request a free fundraising pack, please call
0113 234 7474 or email
fundraising@heartresearch.org.uk

20
HRUK support
‘Giveacar’ for HRUK
In the past we’ve asked you to donate old jewellery and mobile phones
to support HRUK, but now, thanks to a new partnership, we’re asking
people to donate old cars too.
So if you’ve got an old banger sitting on the driveway, rusting away, that you
don’t want, get in touch with ‘Giveacar’. They’ll pick it up, at no cost to you,
TWO
DONATED
and either auction it or send it to be scrapped. Any money from the sale or IN THE
scrappage will then be donated to Heart Research UK. FIRST
If you would like to know more about how this innovative scrap car donation W EEK
scheme works just call our Fundraising team on 0113 234 7474 or visit

www.giveacar.co.uk

Giving doesn’t have

to be taxing
It’s that time of year again when some lucky people may
receive an unexpected tax rebate windfall. Did you know that if
you are due a refund, you can arrange for some or all of it to be
donated to a charity of your choice by simply ticking a box on
the tax return and completing a form supplied by the revenue?
It’s a simple way for you to support HRUK. If you would like
us to benefit from all or part of any refund you receive, please
quote EAK20EG on the return form and HM Revenue and
Customs will do the rest.

Leave a lasting legacy

Each year around half of our income comes from people who have been
kind enough to remember us with a legacy in their will.
Leaving a gift in your will is a very personal way to support our work and
help fund pioneering research into heart disease. After making provisions
for their loved ones, many people decide that leaving a legacy is an
appropriate way to support a charity, like HRUK. It’s a simple way to make
a donation that will help make sure that the best possible treatments are
made available to future generations. It’s simple to do and can be arranged
when making or updating your will with a solicitor. If you already have a
will all you need to do is complete a form called a codicil, a document to
amend an existing will, and send this to your solicitor.
If you would like more information about leaving a gift in your will or
completing a codicil contact Michael on 0113 234 7474 or email
treasurer@heartresearch.org.uk
21
HRUK support
 company help

Damart
strikes gold
It’s taken just under a year for Damart, the home-shopping company, and Heart Research UK
supporter, to achieve its gold Healthy Heart Mark Employer Award. Not just that, it’s the first
company in the Bradford area to celebrate this great achievement.

Damart has shown real commitment to keeping its staff healthy

Lunchtime sessions are popular with staff
and has been setting hearts racing by encouraging staff to get
fit and active as part of HRUK’s Healthy Heart Mark scheme.
It’s also been offering more healthy eating options in its staff
canteens, individual health and lifestyle assessments, training
sessions with the Bradford Bulls Rugby League team, line dancing
lessons, lunchtime pilates and bums and tums classes - all have
been a real success amongst Damart’s 800 employees.
Our Lifestyle Manager, Bea Dinsdale is thrilled that Damart is
leading the way by showing its commitment to health and well-
being in the workplace in such original and creative ways.
“The real success has been how the staff have whole-heartedly
got behind the scheme.”

Let’s talk heart

Businesses across the UK can now sign up for
our monthly e-newsletter, Let’s talk Heart.
The electronic newsletter is full of news, helpful
advice, healthy tips, and fascinating facts to help
you look after the hearts in your business.
We know that many organisations don’t have
the budget or resources for employee wellness
programmes, so sign up to get simple, easy to do
and cost effective ways to keep your business in
tip-top shape. If you’d like to receive the
‘Let’s talk Heart’ e-newsletter contact
lifestyle@heartresearch.org.uk

22
company help
Hospital staff
set an example
Over 130 employees from the maternity department at Homerton Hospital, in London, took
advantage of our Healthy Heart checks over recent months as part of a workplace wellbeing
scheme being run at the hospital, funded by Coca Cola Ltd.

Homerton enlisted our services to assist them
in assessing the health gains to staff over a six
month period. This helped them to measure
the success of their new wellbeing programme
that also included exercise classes, healthy
eating tasting sessions and stress management
workshops.
Our Lifestyle team visited the hospital on two
separate occasions and carried out Healthy Heart
checks that included taking BMI (body mass
index), blood pressure and waist measurements
as well as finding out more about lifestyle habits.
The checks revealed improvements in BMI, blood
pressure readings and the waist measurement
of women, over the six-month period that the
programme ran.
The response from people who came for a Healthy
Heart check was very encouraging. What made
it so good for everyone was that it gave them a
chance to talk about their lifestyle habits and
their heart health in particular. Most people
appreciated the consultations because they were
useful and informative and felt they would enjoy
the long-term benefits of workplace interventions
and Healthy Heart checks.
Lots of other businesses have reaped the benefits
of Healthy Heart checks recently, too, including:
Sutcliffe Play, Yummy Yorkshire, Seabrook
Crisps, Surgical Innovations, Kanjo, Maria
Malliband, Bridford Finance and ENE Homes.
If your company would like to take part, just ring
Bea on 0113 234 7474.

Lifestyle manager, Bea Dinsdale, chats with a nurse from Homerton

23
company help
 Healthy Hearts Grants

First Healthy
Heart Grants with
SUBWAY®
After months of fundraising, cycling the world, running marathons and
filling collection boxes, SUBWAY® chain employees have reached their
target and raised enough money to pay for nine HRUK /SUBWAY®
Healthy Heart Grants in communities across the UK.

The first two have been awarded to projects in the SUBWAY® chain’s Central region and
they are just the first of nine schemes that will be rolled out to other regions across the UK.
“These first grants are great news”, said Heart Research UK’s National Director, Barbara
Harpham “and show just how much effort employees and franchisees across the UK have
put in to make our partnership a success. Our joint aim is to encourage people to make
a healthier choice by picking a Low Fat Sub in store and to give practical help. This new
grant will help even more people learn to look after their heart health and lead healthier,
happier, longer lives. It’s great that so many customers and staff have raised the money to
get this up and running.”
The grants also give the SUBWAY® chain’s employees a unique opportunity to get
involved in their community and choose where the money goes. Members of regional
boards work with HRUK’s Lifestyle team to decide which projects meet the objectives of
the grant best and should be awarded funding.
The SUBWAY® chain is delighted that the first grants have been awarded. “We have
worked hard to spread the Healthy Heart message in stores and to be able to take this
to the next level by supporting local community projects, starting in the central region
followed by Tyne Tees and the North West. This puts heart health at the top of our,
and local people’s agenda – it’s wonderful,” Roy Clouter, Marketing Director for the
SUBWAY® chain in the UK and Ireland told us. “We really appreciate the fact that this
initiative reaches out to people from all walks of life, in all sorts of ways, to help improve
lifestyles and educate people on keeping their hearts healthy.”

24
Healthy Heart Grants
Gazebo Theatre in Education Company,
Wolverhampton |
‘It’s All In The Beat’| £9,900
Everyone remembers days at school when
something unusual happened, especially if it meant
watching a play, that you had helped write, and
it was professional actors, right in front of you.
That’s the idea behind this novel project that will
raise awareness of the importance of maintaining a
Healthy Heart through eating wisely, exercise and
maintaining a healthy body weight.
Working with primary school pupils and teachers,
Gazebo will develop a fun and educational
50-minute show, performed, by professional
actors, to over 2,000 nine to 11 year olds in
primary schools in Wolverhampton, Walsall,
Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry, Leicester and Derby.
To reinforce the message, pupils will then take
part in a follow-up exercise workshop and make
sure they are living the Healthy Heart lifestyle.

Eyres Monsell Club for Young People, Leicester |

‘Health and Wellbeing Project’ | £7,040
This project is aimed at harder to reach young people and
will not only encourage them to look after their heart, but to
help in their local community. Through a series of 40 sessions
over the year, young people who go to the centre will have
the opportunity to take part in a range of sports and games,
learn healthy cooking skills and the basics of a heart healthy
diet. They will also become more aware of the health issues
relating to alcohol and smoking. Using personal logs, young
people will be able to monitor their progress in terms of
fitness, cooking skills and health. All they have learned, will be
passed on, too, with a recipe book and DVD produced by them
and sent to local schools and youth clubs. The young people
involved in the projects will also be encouraged to become
volunteers and spread the Healthy Heart message to their
peers and younger members of the club.

25
Healthy Heart Grants
 lif
Healthy Heart Grants

Healthy Heart Grants

We had nearly 150 applications for our latest round of Healthy Heart Grants, many
demonstrating the innovative approaches groups around the UK are taking to help
keep the hearts of the community healthy. Five projects were awarded grants totalling
over £45,000.

Techniquest, Cardiff | ‘Interactive Healthy Heart’ | £9,959

Following the success of the heart rate and smoker’s lungs exhibits also funded with a HRUK Healthy
Heart Grant, Techniquest will now take its Healthy Heart exhibit trail to new heights. It will build a
three-metre high model of the human circulatory system that will enable centre visitors of all ages to
see how the heart pumps blood around the body and how narrowed arteries make this harder. This is
a fun, hands-on way to encourage people in South Wales to learn more about their amazing heart and
how important it is to take care of it. A themed ‘heart health’ weekend will give Techniquest visitors
access to science theatre shows and workshops on diet, exercise and the heart.

Brighton and Hove Food Partnership | ‘Cooking for a Healthy Heart’| £9,890
Healthy cookery will be taken to the heart of the Brighton and Hove community. Using Healthy Heart
recipes, this food partnership will run cookery demonstrations, taster sessions and offer heart health
information to people of all ages at city-wide events. Short cookery courses in a relaxed, fun setting
will enable participants to cook healthy, affordable food and learn to control the amount of fat and
salt they eat. These sessions will also be offered to groups who are more likely to have unhealthy diets,
such as older men and unemployed young people, equipping them with key skills that will give them
easier access to a heart-healthy diet.

Healthy cookery demonstration

26
Healthy Heart Grants
festyle
Activate Arts Ltd, Liverpool |
‘Beat It’| £7,594
Through the medium of performing
and creative arts, 12-16 year
olds from disadvantaged areas
in Knowsley will explore the
importance of a heart healthy diet
and exercise. It will help them build
confidence and self-awareness
so they choose healthy lifestyle
habits. Two courses will be offered,
culminating in a final ‘Heart Health’
live performance to show just what
they have learned. Young people will
keep food diaries and be set tasks
to complete at home which involve
Using performing arts to encourage healthy hearts
the whole family in learning about a
heart healthy diet.

Norwood, Stanmore, Middlesex | ‘Kickstart’ | £8,787

Adults with learning difficulties living independently or with their families in Middlesex have already
been looking after their hearts through cardiovascular fitness sessions, but their diet often falls short
of the heart healthy standard. This project will offer Healthy Heart workshops that focus on fats,
portion size, calories and exercise to both residents and staff in 25 supported living accommodations.
The number of fitness sessions will be increased and tailored to the participants’ needs, encouraging
more residents to enjoy an active lifestyle. ‘Protect Your Heart’ posters and leaflets will also be
developed so people of all abilities can understand the Healthy Heart message.

Deafblind Scotland, Glasgow | ‘Deafinitely Healthy Hearts’ | £9,572

This innovative project will take the Healthy Heart message to deafblind people in Scotland, providing
them with an information pack that encourages them to take care of their hearts. This information
will be made more accessible by using different formats like braille, moon (based on a simplified
alphabet that’s embossed), large and extra large print and electronic, for them to choose from.
50 people will also take part in a dance and exercise taster session, supported by one-to-one guidance
so that they enjoy the experience and benefit in full.

27
Healthy Heart Grants
 Healthy Heart feature
Reluctant men get
the message
An innovative project to offer men health MOTs in some unusual locations has proved so
successful in deprived areas of Nuneaton and Bedworth that it will continue for some time to
come. The project was put together in response to the fact that life expectancy for men in the
area is lower than the England average and early deaths from heart disease are higher.
Sonya Johnson, from Nuneaton and Bedworth
Healthy Living Network, who coordinated
the project, explained how it was carried out:
“Men are a difficult group to reach as they can
be reluctant to go to the doctor, so we decided
to adopt a new approach and take the health
checks to them. We went to places you wouldn’t
usually associate with health, like the local pub,
mosque and industrial estates, to carry out the
checks which included weight and blood pressure
measurements and giving dietary advice.”
Health MOTs at Borough Horticultural Show
The network worked closely with other local
initiatives and referred men who took part to
other services for advice and appointments to
help them lose weight, take more exercise, stop
smoking and improve their diets.
28
Healthy Heart feature
Over 1,200 men were involved in the project,
of these, 163 had high blood pressure and were
referred to their GPs and they are now either
taking medication or have been given lifestyle
advice to manage their condition. Another 135
local men were identified as having a BMI of
over 30 and 20% of these have since successfully
lost weight. A further 182 were referred to
Warwickshire stop smoking service.
John, 48, who is unemployed, stopped outside a
local supermarket for a health MOT. The checks
revealed that he was a regular smoker and had
high blood pressure. As a result, John was given
one-to-one support to stop smoking: “I have quit
smoking for eight months now. I feel so much
better, I have a bit more money and my blood
pressure is ok, apparently. I didn’t even know I
had high blood pressure before.”
Sonya is delighted with how the project has gone:
“We have held 109 sessions in the area and as
a result five venues we worked in have decided
to provide extra health activities. The men we
have reached now understand the link between
lifestyle and health and are taking more exercise,
reducing their weight and eating healthier diets.
“The good work is set to carry on, too, as our
local Authority, Nuneaton and Bedworth
Borough Council, has agreed to commission us
to continue the work to target men’s health for
the next three years which is brilliant news. If we
had not had this grant from Heart Research UK,
that would not have happened.”
WIN a luxury
hamper
We’ve got two wonderful luxury hampers to give away to
a couple of lucky Pulse readers. The hampers are packed
with lovely treats and tasty delights to make your day.
It is simple to enter, all you have to do is text
“heart” to 70099*
The first draw closes at midnight on
Friday 17 December 2010
The second draw closes at midnight on
Thursday 31 March 2011
We hope you’ll take part - it’s a great way to
support HRUK and get the chance to win a
fabulous, scrumptious prize that you and
all of your family can enjoy.

For full details about the draw and terms

and conditions please visit
www.heartresearch.org.uk
0113 234 7474 or contact our
Fundraising team
fundraising@heartresearch.org.uk

*Texts cost just £1 plus one text at your standard network rate and a minimum of 88p will go to 29
Heart Research UK. Please note the hamper will vary to the image shown.
 Healthy Heart feature

Keep your
dil khush
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are
the leading cause of death in the UK and,
unfortunately, South Asians are developing heart
disease earlier and at faster rates than the white
population.

This is due to a combination of risk factors. Firstly, being from a South Asian background can predispose
you genetically to heart disease, so you need to be even more aware of your heart health and lifestyle.
This coupled with other lifestyle factors like smoking, eating a high fat diet and a lack of exercise spells
bad news for your heart.
The good news is that by following some simple steps you can easily keep your dil khush (heart healthy).

Did you know?

People of South Asian origin are up to six times
more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the
UK white population, which is a risk factor for
heart disease.
When it comes to waist measurements South
Asians have a tougher goal than the white
population. South Asian women should keep
their waist measurement below 32 inches and
South Asian men below 35 inches to reduce their
risk of heart disease.

Eating for a Healthy Heart

There are many ways you can help reduce your risk of developing heart disease. One way to start is by
eating a heart healthy diet. This means reducing the ‘bad’ fats in your diet, for instance, by choosing
low-fat dairy products and cooking with olive oil or rapeseed oil instead of ghee to promote healthy
cholesterol levels. Make sure too that you get your five-a-day and keep the amount of salt you use
to a minimum to help maintain a healthy blood pressure. Ingredients used in South Asian cooking,
such as pulses, rice and vegetables are colourful and versatile, as well as healthy and nutritious and
by using a variety of colourful vegetables, and wholegrain rice, you’ll give yourself more heart healthy
antioxidants and fibre.
30
Healthy Heart feature
Festivals and celebrations
Festivals are a great time to get together with family and
friends and celebrate. Whether it’s Diwali, Eid, Holi or
Vaisakhi, you can pay attention to your heart by preparing
your festival foods in a heart healthy way. Festival favourites
like samosas, bhajis, jalebis, barfi and ladoos are high in fat
and sugar, which is bad news for your heart and arteries.
Eat less of them or cook them in a healthier way.

Quit the habit

Smoking rates are high in South Asian communities, which
creates a problem for your heart and circulatory system,
leading to heart disease, cancer and respiratory diseases.
Smoking cigarettes, bidis, shisha or chewing tobacco in the
form of tambaku paan or gutkha significantly increases your
risk of developing heart disease and also affects the health
of those around you. Why not use occasions like birthdays,
anniversaries or festivals such as Eid, Diwali and Vaisakhi as an
incentive to quit smoking and dramatically reduce your risk of
heart disease?

Want to know more?

If you’re from the South Asian community or work with groups within the
community please contact us to get your copy of our latest lifestyle leaflet,
‘South Asians and their Hearts’, that gives more advice and information
about leading a Healthy Heart lifestyle.
The ‘South Asians and their Hearts’ leaflet has kindly been sponsored
by Bradford College. The college is committed to providing a Healthy
College environment to improve the health and wellbeing of students
and staff. It was one of the first colleges in the country to be awarded
full ‘Healthy College’ status and has been praised for its work in this
area. If you’d like to find out more about Bradford College and its
Healthy College work visit www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk
sponsored by

31
Healthy Heart feature
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