Carrick Hearty Lives team picks up BHF Innovation Award

Hearty Lives Carrickfergus members were presented with the accolade by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Northern Ireland.

The team developed and delivered a number of programmes for women of childbearing age and their families before, during and after pregnancy.

The project is designed to address the issues of being overweight and obese, which are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

It was developed in partnership with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and the Public Health Agency and has had over 4000 beneficiaries so far.

Florence Hand, project lead, NHSCT said: “We are thrilled to have received the Innovation Award from BHF Northern Ireland. It is an honour to have been recognised and to know the work we are doing is making a real impact.

“It is great to know that we have been able to make a difference. BHF Northern Ireland is a charity that is very important to us because with their support we have been able to develop new and more effective ways of helping women and families in this community to stay healthy.

“We will continue to work with BHF Northern Ireland to help stop lives being cut short from heart disease and support and improve the lives of those living with heart disease.”

Stephanie Leckey, area development manager at BHF Northern Ireland, added: “I am delighted that we can recognise Hearty Lives Carrickfergus’ commitment to BHF Northern Ireland. Thanks to their hard work and dedication they are changing local people’s lives for the better by improving the heart health of the community.

“As a charity we rely on the support and innovative work of projects like Hearty Lives Carrickfergus to help us in our fight against heart disease. Without their support, dedication and commitment we would not be able to continue our work of making a difference to those living with cardiovascular disease in Northern Ireland.”

The Hearty Lives Carrickfergus team has been hosted in the Civic Centre Carrickfergus since its inception.

The team’s Steering Group is chaired by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s deputy director of Environmental Services, Claire Duddy.

Nominations for BHF Northern Ireland’s 2016 Heart hero Awards open in October. For more information or to nominate someone you feel deserves an award for their fight against heart disease, visit bhf.org.uk/bhfheroes