Flintshire heart charity volunteers praised for work

Flintshire volunteers who support the vital work of the British Heart Foundation have been praised by Llyr Gruffydd AM.

He attended British Heart Foundation Cymru’s parliamentary reception “Beating Heartbreak Forever” in the National Assembly for Wales, which was focusing on the immense contribution of volunteers to the charity’s research lifesaving work.

Plaid Cymru’s North Wales AM met staff and volunteers who travelled from Flintshire for the reception and heard about the work that goes into generating vital donations and making sales that all contribute to the research work and health care projects of the BHF.

Across Wales there are currently around 2,500 premature deaths from heart and circulatory disease each year.

Thanks to community fundraisers, shop volunteers and many others who give up their time across the country, the BHF is able to fund almost £5m worth of life saving research to support the fight against heart and circulatory diseases in Wales.

Mr Gruffydd said: “There are more than 81,000 people in the North estimated to be living with heart and circulatory disease and more than 12,000 have survived a stroke.

The extent of heart and circulatory problems is huge in our region.

With that in mind it’s clear we need the fundraising and volunteering that takes place to fund better treatment, research and greater understanding of the risks involved. Although some problems may be congenital, many others are as a result of preventable issues.

I am pleased that some of my constituents from Flintshire who volunteer for the BHF were able to travel to the reception last night. It was particularly good to meet Elwyn Roberts, one of the original founders of the Mold BHF branch.

BHF’s lifesaving research can only be done thanks to staff and volunteers who all deserve a huge thanks for their hard work to raise funds.

I am amazed at the breadth of volunteering work that takes place across Wales to support the work of the BHF and to spread important training such as CPR in communities.”

Adam Fletcher, Head of BHF Cymru, said:

“It was great to welcome Llyr Gruffydd to the Senedd last night. Research is vital to ending heart disease. Every donation made, every hour volunteered and every person who supports BHF makes a huge difference.

Roughly 1 in 4 people are affected by heart and circulatory diseases and we can see by how many volunteers want to donate their time to the BHF just what an impact this has. Through our research and healthcare innovations, we are working to beat heartbreak forever.”