British Heart Foundation Northamptonshire raises more than £200,000 in 2021 despite the pandemic

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Northamptonshire has raised more than £213,000 in 2021, despite the pandemic.

The BHF focuses on research and support for people living with heart and circulatory diseases.

These include everything people can inherit or be born with, to those that are developed later, such as coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and stroke.

As a known comorbidity of Covid-19, the fact this money was raised during its pandemic cannot be more poignant.

The charity has revealed that two of their biggest successes in Northamptonshire earned more than £12,000 between them.

Their biggest single earner was a Northampton to Norwich bike ride that raised £7,195 from 153 supporters, smashing their initial goal of £5,000.

The ride was undertaken by a group of friends and family in memory of their late good friend, brother, husband and dad, Steve "Skinner" Pickering, who was a keen cyclist.

He would reportedly have found the 'small' ride 'simply a breeze'.

The entire event was a self-funded venture, meaning that every penny raised went to the BHF, which has reportedly 'halved' the number of people dying of heart and circulatory diseases in the UK.

Beside this effort ranked the Northampton and County Shoe, Leather and Allied Trades Golf Society, which raised £5,000 at their annual golf day at Wellingborough Golf Club, helmed by itscaptain Johnathan Smith.

Adrian Petts, area fundraising manager at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the people of Northamptonshire for raising over £213,000 for our work.

"The money raised will help fund ground-breaking research and support for the 80,000 people in Northamptonshire living with heart and circulatory diseases.

“2021 has been challenging year for heart and circulatory disease patients and their families, for our research community and for the BHF.

"And yet despite these challenges, we have been constantly inspired by the amazing support we have received and the remarkable achievements of so many people, who have gone above and beyond, despite the pandemic, to help us fund our lifesaving research.”