Northampton former Army musician commits to ‘Walk For Hearts’ after double bypass

Mike Szreider, 72, from West Hunsbury, who played clarinet, flute and saxophone during his early career in the British Army is one of thousands of people taking part in the British Heart Foundation’s Walk For Hearts challenge to get fitter and raise vital funds for research into cardiovascular disease.

Mike, who went on to have a second career as an apprentice manager at Northampton College, began to feel unwell one day in November 2024. He was at home when he started to experience tightness in his chest and felt cold and sweaty.

Mike, who still works occasionally as an exam invigilator at the college made an emergency appointment to see his GP after the tightness sensations continued and he began to feel increasingly unwell

His GP sent him immediately to Northampton General Hospital, where an electrocardiogram confirmed he was having a heart attack.

Three weeks later in December 2024, Mike underwent double by-pass surgery at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. He then attended cardiac rehab sessions where he was encouraged to build his fitness, strength and stamina through exercises including walking.

Now he is aiming to walk 100 miles throughout February as part of the BHF Walk For Hearts campaign which has been timed to coincide with February’s Heart Month.

Mike said: “I’m walking at least five miles a day. I was never really a big walker before my bypass, but it makes you realise that you’ve got to get out there and give yourself all the help you can get. I enjoy being fitter and stronger and I love being outdoors on my walks.

“I’ve got a few friends saying that they would like to join me on some of them, which is great. It’s enjoyable to walk and have company sometimes.

“I’ve got loads of walks that I enjoy. I’m lucky enough to live near the Grand Union Canal, so I go along the towpath quite regularly. I also like Upton Park and going up to the Old Viking Fort near my house.”

“I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2022 and am carrying extra weight which I hope I can lose through continuing to walk regularly throughout my life. I do feel very lucky that I am as fit and able as I am and I want to become fitter. My ambition is to keep walking and meet my fitness goals into my 80s and 90s.

The BHF Walk For Hearts campaign is being backed by BHF ambassador and Olympic sprint silver medallist, Roger Black, who underwent open heart surgery a year ago to fix a bicuspid aortic valve, which he was born with, but was not diagnosed with until later in life.

A new survey by the charity reveals walking more is the UK’s top health goal for 2026.

In a poll of 4537 adults1, over a third (36%) said their number one health goal for the year is to walk more – outranking other popular health aims of eating more healthily (34%), reducing stress (26%), improving sleep routines (19%) and going to the gym (16%).

Walking also topped the list of goals people believed would be easiest to achieve, with 30% agreeing it’s the health aim that's easiest to stick with.

Taking on the challenge in Heart Month, participants can choose to walk 28, 50 or 100 miles over the four weeks of February, to help fund BHF’s lifesaving cardiovascular research and support their own heart health in the process.

Roger Black said: “We all know New Year Resolutions can be difficult to stick with, so it’s fantastic to see that so many people want to walk more this year.

“To me, there is no better health goal than walking, as it’s something people can fit into their daily routines and do at a pace that suits them – and that’s what BHF’s ‘Walk for Hearts’ is all about. Every step is helping your own health and helping fund vital lifesaving research.”

Being physically active – including regular exercise - reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 35%, research suggests.

Ruth Goss, Senior Cardiac Nurse at BHF, said: “Walking is a great way for everyone to weave exercise into their daily routines and help look after their cardiovascular health, especially during the winter months.

“If you are one of the eight million people in the UK living with cardiovascular disease and you are able to exercise, walking could be especially helpful, as it is low impact and you can build up slowly at a pace that’s suitable for you. However, it’s important to speak with your own doctor for personalised advice.

“Taking part in BHF’s ‘Walk for Hearts’ challenge in February is a fantastic way to set yourself a goal and build up a good walking habit. You’ll also be helping fund lifesaving cardiovascular research.”