We're excited to announce a new partnership with Toolstation, one of the UK's leading suppliers of tools and building materials, to help put heart health at the heart of everyday safety for tradespeople across the UK.
Through this collaboration, we'll work together to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors among people working in the trades, while also raising vital funds to support our lifesaving research. The partnership will focus on sharing practical heart health information and equipping people with the skills they need to act in an emergency.
Champion heart health in the trade sector
As part of the commitment, Toolstation will train all 5,500 of its colleagues in CPR using our free online training tool, RevivR - helping to build lifesaving skills in stores and communities across the UK.
Lakhvir Sanghera, Managing Director of Toolstation, said; "Tradespeople can face unique and invisible pressures. Long hours and the stress of managing projects can make it difficult to prioritise heart health - especially when many people work alone or in remote locations. By partnering with the British Heart Foundation, we're taking direct action, training our colleagues in CPR and fundraising to support vital research that helps protect the hearts of the people who do so much for our communities."
New research highlights heart health challenges for tradespeople
The partnership is backed by new research which highlights the scale of the challenge facing the trade sector. Nearly two thirds of tradespeople (63%) say they know someone in the trades who has been affected by cardiovascular disease, including heart attack or cardiac arrest
Despite this, almost half (49%) say they've never spoken to a doctor about their own heart health. While many rate their health as good, the findings show a strong desire to make changes - with more than half wanting to eat more healthily, one in five aiming to lower their blood pressure, and nearly four in ten looking to better manage stress.
Making heart health part of everyday safety
The research also shows that working conditions can make healthy habits harder to maintain. Many tradespeople work alone or in remote locations, and only a small proportion say they always know where a defibrillator is at work - highlighting the importance of CPR knowledge and confidence in an emergency.
Our Chief Executive, Dr Charmaine Griffiths, said; "Cardiovascular disease doesn't just happen in hospitals. It happens everywhere - including building sites, in vans and in homes up and down the country. Nearly two thirds of tradespeople know someone in the trade who've had a heart problem, so it's clear this is an issue that can't be ignored. Through our partnership with Toolstation, we want to make heart health part of everyday safety - just like hard hats and high-vis."
Learn CPR with RevivR
