A North-East based care company has shown its support for a national British Heart Foundation campaign by hosting fundraisers across the region.
Executive Care, which runs 25 homes primarily in the North East, organised fundraising days for the staff, residents and families and invited along local British Heart Foundation volunteers to join in the fun for national ‘Wear It Beat It’ day.
The homes joined 20,000 other volunteers across the UK in baking cakes, running competitions and raffles and dressing in red to boost fundraising and awareness of the charity.
Activities Coordinator at Yew Tree Care Centre in Redcar, Sandra Hatton, said: “My family and I have supported the British Heart Foundation for over 30 years, ever since my daughter was born with a heart defect.
“At two weeks old my daughter, Jaqueline, began to turn blue, she had a heart attack. She had heart surgery at the age of 6 and luckily recovered, and is now happily married with her own daughter.
“Without the work of the British Heart Foundation and the research which is funded by donations, Jaqueline’s recovery may not have been possible, so we always do as much as we can to help.”
The British Heart Foundation is the largest independent researcher of heart and circulatory conditions, which are currently the UK’s biggest killer. The charity’s aim is to continue the fight through pioneering heart research, vital prevention and survival activity and ensuring quality care and support for everyone living with heart disease.
Wear It Beat It day comes as part of Heart Month, which is running throughout February. The British Heart Foundation is encouraging people to improve their heart health through 10-minute challenges including light exercise, healthy eating, quitting smoking and taking time out to de-stress.
Derwent Care Home also led the fundraising activities with an array of hand-crafted baked goods which staff and residents prepared together as part of its activities programme.
Chief executive of Executive Care, David Harrison, said: “Our care home managers, activities coordinators and staff always go the extra mile to support charities whilst providing enriching activities for the residents and their families to be involved in too.
“As a health-care provider we feel that we not only have a responsibility to our residents but also to the community, and in this instance the homes certainly went above and beyond to support a wide-spread cause.”