By Ebba Ritzen
A community group tackling disadvantages and improving lives in Cambuslang and Rutherglen has received a grant of over £9,000 from Heart Research UK. The grant has been awarded to a new heart health project which aims to help improve the physical and mental health of the local people.
Lanarkshire charity Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust works with people of all ages across their whole population. However, the group’s main focus is on helping those in challenging circumstances. They support many residents who are lonely and isolated, stressed and experiencing a range of other physical and mental health challenges. These challenges are often exacerbated by poverty and can have a negative effect on the heart.
Heart and circulatory diseases kill more than one in four in South Lanarkshire and in 2020, ischaemic heart disease was the leading cause of death for men in the region.
The group has now received a Healthy Heart Grant from Heart Research UK for their new project. These grants are awarded across the UK to initiatives promoting heart health in their local community.
Healthy n Happy’s exciting project, which will be starting in July, aims to provide local residents with a wide range of outdoor activities in green spaces across CamGlen. It will support residents to improve their physical and mental health.
The money for the grant was raised through Heart Research UK’s partnership with Subway®, by instore donations across the country. Since 2001, Heart Research UK has awarded over 300 of these grants, directly benefitting the hearts of over 70,000 individuals and countless wider community and family members across all regions of the UK.
Brendan Rooney, Executive Director at Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust, said:
‘We’re so thrilled to have the support of Heart Research UK, which enables us to develop and deliver our new programme.
‘We will support participants to get involved in walking, cycling, food growing, cooking and healthy eating (with access to local food produce) and mental health support. We want people to have fun, choose activities and tools that best fit their personal situation, and work with them to build their confidence and skills”.
Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive at Heart Research UK, said:
‘We know that there’s a high prevalence of heart disease in Scotland, something we are determined to combat. We’re pleased to be granting this funding to Happy n Healthy so that they can further provide accessible advice on how to keep and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is what the Healthy Heart Grants are all about – helping people live happier, healthier and longer lives.’
As seen in
