What we do

Sponsor hope and help mend broken hearts

Annual Review 2011

infoInformation

We will provide vital information to help people reduce their own heart health risk.

We aim to achieve this by:

  • understanding what information people most need to help them live with a healthy heart
  • piloting services that help people identify their personal risk of cardiovascular disease
  • emphasising the importance of a heart healthy lifestyle through national social marketing campaigns 
  • increasing public involvement in heart health
  • working with Government Health Departments to encourage people to stop smoking and combat rising obesity
  • leading the European Heart Network’s lobbying for compulsory front-of-pack labelling for fats, salt and sugar
  • working with staff and sector specialists in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to develop programmes for their specific needs.

How we made a difference in 2009-2010coyles

During 2009-10, we’ve reached out to people of all ages and backgrounds to give them the information they need to reduce their own heart risk.

yheart.net/meet

Growing up with a heart condition can be frightening and isolating for young people. Giving them the information they need is vital, and putting them in touch with one another can make a real difference to their lives.

And yheart.net, a website we set up in collaboration with young people living with a heart condition, is doing just that.

In 2009-10, yheart.net received over 100,000 visits and we’re encouraging more and more young people like Leanne Coyle, who writes an inspirational popular blog for the site, to get involved and share their experiences.

Leanne’s also been involved in helping us shape other ways of supporting young people with heart conditions, which include:

One idea that came from a Speak Up workshop was a BHF ID card which could be used to verify a young person’s heart condition, for example if a teacher questioned the number of doctors appointments they had.

It was a great idea, and the innovative cards are already being issued to young people at cardiology clinics.

School & Youth Group Events

We work with nurseries and schools to encourage children of all ages be active and to improve their heart health through fundraising events such as Artie's Olympics aimed at the under 7’s, and Jump Rope For Heart and Ultimate Dodgeball aimed at 7-15 year olds.

Heart Matters

We continued to roll out our Heart Matters service, which offers a unique package of information and support for people looking to improve their heart health. There are now over 220,000 subscribers to this service.

Active Fat

We worked with Diabetes UK and Cancer Research UK on Active Fat, a Change4life initiative designed to tackle the rise in levels of obesity and get the nation measuring their waistlines. The campaign website attracted nearly 25,000 visitors.