Pledge to beat heart disease

BHF represenatives, Councillor Linda Robinson and Brian Ashworth from Link4Life in Broadfield Park

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Rochdale has become the first borough in Greater Manchester and the North West to sign up as a British Heart Foundation (BHF) Heart Town.

Rochdale Borough Council and Link4Life have teamed up with the BHF to help put the heart into Rochdale as part of the charity’s Mending Broken Hearts Appeal which has been launched to mark its 50th anniversary, this year.

Heart Towns are a new initiative from the nation’s heart charity that brings communities together through local fundraising and volunteering as well as raising awareness of heart disease and offering residents a raft of support services including, schools initiatives, workplace health and lifestyle information resources.

Shirley McNally, BHF Volunteer Fundraising Manager in Rochdale, said: “We are delighted that Rochdale Borough Council has decided to become a Heart Town.

“There are many activities and events happening throughout the year that local people can get involved in.

“We will be working with the local community to raise awareness of heart disease and raise money for the BHF’s Mending Broken Hearts Appeal.

“Please get involved and pledge your support today.” 

To mark the council’s pledge to support the BHF’s Heart Towns initiative for Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton, the council and Link4Life are setting hearts racing by launching a series of new Run England ‘3-2-1’ Routes in parks around the borough.

The Broadfield Park 3-2-1 route was launched today (4 June).

Link4Life Health Co-ordinator, Shirley Waller, said: “The Run England ‘3-2-1’ waymarked routes are of different lengths and are ideally designed for adults of all ages whether running or walking.”

Rochdale Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Care and Housing, Linda Robinson lost her 43-year-old mum to heart disease while still at school. She said:  “We’re pledging our support for Heart Towns in the borough because local communities need to be at the forefront of the fight against heart disease.”

Sue Tuffy, 57, of Lower Healey, had a heart attack in 2004. She said: “I think it is fantastic that Rochdale is set to become a Heart Town. It is wonderful that the community can work together to raise awareness of heart disease, as well as funds, which will benefit so many heart patients in the future.”

The BHF is aiming for as many towns and cities across the UK to sign up and become a Heart Town, to help the growing issue of heart and circulatory disease, the UK’s biggest killer.