Making it happen
We are all about people. We work hard every day to support the
people who need us most and, in turn, we rely on the support
of the general public.
We ask the people we work with what they want and need, and how
they like to work with us. Then we do our very best to ensure those
needs are met.
Our free membership service Heart
Matters is a good example of how we work to
provide what people tell us they need.
None of our work would be possible without the generosity of
thousands of supporters across the UK.
This comes in many forms including donations, sponsored events, corporate partnerships, and shopping at our
network of BHF
Shops
For every £1 that we spend on our
life-saving activities, 88p comes from public
donations. And there's a way for you to get involved that will suit
you, including;
- donating -
have a look at the many different ways you can donate and how tax
effective it can be.
- events - we run
hundreds of fun fundraising events across the UK every year, and
they're a great way to get fit.
- shopping - either
online or at our national network of shops.
- corporate
partnerships - there are a whole range of ways to get
involved at work.
- pledging a legacy -
almost half of our income comes from people remembering us in their
wills.
Some achievements 2008/9
Red food, red outfits, and a red raffle
Rachel Wylde was one of thousands of people who went Red
for Heart as part of National Heart Month
in February 2009.
When her daughter Molly was diagnosed with a congenital heart
defect as a newborn baby, Rachel relied on the BHF for information
and support. As her way of thanking us, Rachel and her family
hosted a red party, complete with red foods, red outfits and a red
raffle.
Our alliance with Home Retail Group has raised over £1.5
million
Meanwhile, Red for Heart acted as a focal
point for our corporate partnerships. Our alliance with
Home Retail Group has
raised over £1.5million, which is helping to fund
585 defibrillators in areas of need and four trained BHF Community
Resuscitation Development Officer (CRDO) posts for two years.
Lloyds Banking Group helped fund 15 BHF Heart
Nurses
A similar partnership with Lloyds
Banking Group is helping to fund 15 BHF Heart Nurses,
supporting a considerable number of patients across the UK.
Other highlights in brief:
- Our network of BHF
Shops has played a vital role in spreading the
word and raising funds - a £15.8 million profit for the BHF's work.
We've just opened our 64th specialist Furniture &
Electrical Store alongside 533 general stores, with plans
for further expansion in 2009 and beyond.
- Legacy gifts have
accounted for almost half of our income. Pamela Mills is one of the
many people who continue to pledge generously in
their Wills. “I was determined that I would replay in a small way
the life-saving information you offer.”
- We now have over 250 volunteer-run fundraising
branches across the UK. The Aberdeen Branch of BHF Scotland
recently held a golf tournament, raising £14,205 to help
provide two BHF Heart Nurses to support people throughout
the Grampian area.
- Over 3,500 fundraising volunteers have helped us over the
course of 2008-09. Ann Hartley gave up her evenings and weekends to
collect in pubs for the Manchester Children’s Heart
Appeal – raising more than £5,000 single-handedly.
- Ben Few Brown and his friends raised £15,320
by completing the 2008 BHF London to
Brighton Bike Ride, contributing to a grand total of
£4.2 million for the event.
- There are many amazing stories of dedication and determination,
sometimes arising from tragic personal circumstances.
Martin and Sarah Blades have resolved to raise
£10,000 in memory of their daughter Freya, who died at
just seven weeks old, having been born with two holes in her
heart.
Martin has taken part in BHF hikes in places from Hertfordshire to
Hadrian's Wall – covering over a hundred miles in the process.