Horsham residents help raise £638,000 of lifesaving funds

Volunteering hours, donations and purchases by the local community in towns including Horsham raised a staggering £683,000 over the past year - money which has helped to fund six heart nurses and a four heart support groups in West Sussex.

BHF Shops are championing the community’s fight against heart disease and are keen to say thank you and tell locals exactly how the money they have raised is helping heart patients in their area.

Louise Coleman, BHF Area Manager, said: “The generosity of people in the West Sussex area has been astonishing and we want to thank every single person who has joined us in the fight against heart disease.

“Quite often people don’t realise that the sofa or dress that they donate actually raises vital funds and helps pay for anything from an echo machine in the local hospital to a community heart support group.

“We couldn’t fund this lifesaving equipment or research in West Sussex if it wasn’t for the local community and we hope they are feeling proud by the difference they are making and inspired to keep visiting BHF Shops.”

In total, an average of 1,110 people die from coronary heart disease (CHD) in West Sussex every year and with continued support from local people, the BHF can fight harder to reduce this figure. CHD is the UK’s single biggest killer, around 80,000 people in the UK die from it every year.

The nation’s heart charity also currently funds eight Heartstart schemes in West Sussex, which teach Emergency Life Support training in the community and schools.

The BHF also have Furniture & Electrical Stores that sell household items Worthing and Crawley as well as BHF shops selling clothes, shoes, CDs and DVDs etc. in Burgess Hill, Midhurst, Bognor Regis, Worthing, East Grinstead, Horsham, Chichester and Crawley.

BHF Shops offer a free collection service that can be booked by phone, just call 0844 334 1400, or try the free online collection service for larger furniture and electrical items at www.bhforg.uk/free