In conversation with British orienteers: Navigating fitness and heart health Posted on July 4, 2024May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill Heart Research UK’s Heart of Scotland Appeal is proud to be the Official Charity Partner of the World Orienteering Championships (WOC 2024) in Edinburgh this July. This partnership combines the excitement of orienteering with the vital mission of promoting heart health. In this Q&A, we speak with British orienteers Kirstin Maxwell and Mairi Eades, who will compete in the elite races at the Sprint WOC 2024. Read on as Mairi and Kirstin share their passion for orienteering, the health benefits of the sport and practical tips for keeping your heart in top shape. Q.1: How did you first get into orienteering? Mairi: “I’ve been orienteering my whole life. My parents, who both started at a young age, met through the sport at university and brought me up orienteering. It’s a fun family affair.” Kirstin: “I’ve been orienteering since I was 10 years old. My dad, always a runner and involved in motorsport, found orienteering to be more family-friendly than car racing. As I participated in more orienteering events, I was invited to a development day for the Scottish team. I met many people and realised how great this outdoor sport is. I began to really enjoy orienteering because of the opportunities it provided. As my passion grew, it became a huge part of my life, and I’ve never looked back.” Q.2: How has orienteering influenced your overall health and fitness, particularly heart health? Mairi: “Orienteering provides me with continuous goals to work towards. It motivates me to train and stay healthy, so I can perform my best at competitions and maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle. It also encourages me to ensure I have a balanced diet to fuel my performance.” Kirstin: “Orienteering keeps you active and it’s said that one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy is to exercise. It’s a sport where you can either walk or run, and if you do run, you can go at your own pace. Orienteering is a great way to exercise and boost your health; it takes your mind off the exertion and into a beautiful place.” Q.3: In what ways do you maintain your heart health through your training and lifestyle choices? Mairi: “I like to keep active outside by walking, jogging, running, and cycling. This can be for commuting to work or recreation. Listening to the body is key and hence sleep is always a priority for me. No matter how healthy you’re eating or how much you’re training, you always need to rest and recover.” Kirstin: “I take care of myself because I want to be the best I can be, which has a knock-on effect on my overall health. Through my training, I’ve learned to pay close attention to things like my heart rate. If it’s elevated, it might indicate that something’s off, prompting me to adjust my activities accordingly. Being an athlete means being quite in touch with your body.” Q.4: Can you share any personal experiences or stories about heart health that have impacted you? Mairi: “My mum had a heart attack recently which shows that heart diseases can occur unexpectedly to anyone, even if you’ve lived a healthy lifestyle your whole life. So, do your best to prevent any health issues and maintain a good lifestyle, but don’t be discouraged if something happens. Unfortunately, even with a lifetime of healthy habits, things can still go wrong.” Q.5: This year, the World Orienteering Championships have partnered with Heart Research UK. How do you feel this partnership can generate awareness and promote heart health within the orienteering community? Mairi: “Exercise is essential for a healthy heart, and orienteering exercises both body and mind simultaneously. It offers a fun challenge and adventure. This partnership is a fantastic reminder for everyone, including elite athletes, about the importance of heart health.” Kirstin: “It’s great to be working with the charity. Orienteers may become more conscious about heart health, and charity supporters might see orienteering as a way to stay active. This partnership can encourage people to maintain their fitness and view orienteering as a viable exercise option.” Q.6: How do you balance the competitive nature of the sport with the enjoyment and adventure of orienteering? Mairi: “It can be difficult to balance these, especially during big races, but at the end of the day, I always come back to the realisation that this sport is so fun and unique. The sport allows us to travel to amazing places around the world, meeting new people and making friends across the world. I am always grateful to be a part of it and all the benefits that come with it.” Kirstin: “As I’ve matured, I’ve realised that when you’re young, a bad race can feel like the end of the world. I’ve spent a lot of time feeling upset, but experience has taught me that hard work is what truly matters. Reminding yourself of the good times, like getting selected or having an amazing run, helps on tough days. When you truly enjoy something and work hard, the buzz you get makes it all worth it. If you’re not enjoying your training every day, it’s time to change something about it.” Q.7: What advice would you give to someone who is interested in taking up orienteering? Mairi: “People are often nervous about trying orienteering, but I believe you just have to give it a go. If you find it difficult, don’t hesitate to ask as many questions as you need. Dive in and don’t fear getting lost. Even elite athletes still get lost, so it’s not a problem.” Kirstin: “There are local clubs all over the UK and you can find events on the British Orienteering website. If you’re near Edinburgh, come watch us at the World Championship races to see elite orienteers, many of whom represent their countries in athletics. Just get out there and try it, don’t worry if you don’t succeed right away. The important thing is to enjoy the fresh air and keep trying until it clicks.” Q.8: What message would you like to share about the importance of heart health? Mairi: “Remember that your heart is very important, so take the time to look after it. A few simple things, like getting outside, staying active and resting when you need to, can make a big difference. Listen to your body and keep it healthy.” Kirstin: “It’s important to take care of ourselves, especially our hearts, and enjoy life since we’re only here once. This means finding what works for you, especially with exercise. While exercise is beneficial, it doesn’t have to be intense. Enjoying activities with friends or family, like orienteering, can make a big difference. The key is to find what works for you and enhances your life.” Taking place from 12th to 16th July 2024, Edinburgh will host the Sprint World Orienteering Championships. Whether you’re an experienced athlete or new to the sport, join us for the WOC Tour, featuring six exciting races for all ages and skill levels. Explore the best of urban orienteering and be part of this incredible event in support of the Heart of Scotland Appeal.
Heart Research UK at The Workplace Event Posted on April 26, 2024May 29, 2025 by Sarah Gill Heart Research UK will be attending The Workplace Event taking place from 30th April to 2nd May 2024. The Workplace Event is the home for workplace and facilities innovation. It brings together workplace professionals and practitioners from facilities, HR, technology, real estate, design, architecture, consultants, and advisors to share best practices, expertise and ideas to create effective working environments, employee experience and drive optimum organisational performance. Having a healthy workforce is essential to the success of any organisation and Heart Research UK will be speaking about our Healthy Hearts at Work programme, which encourages employers to identify and address key health and wellbeing needs of staff. It is hoped that through the programme employers will be able to support their employees and recognise each organisation’s commitment to improving the heart health of their workforce. At the event delegates attending will have the opportunity to have free blood pressure checks carried out by the Heart Research UK team, which will highlight the importance of blood pressure checks and can save lives. Of the health checks Heart Research UK conducted in 2023, 33% of people were found to have high blood pressure and advised to visit their GP. Furthermore, 66% of those tested had blood pressure readings outside of the healthy range. The three-day event at the NEC Birmingham comprises a Workplace Leaders’ Summit, Workplace Leaders Top 50, Knowledge Hub seminar programmes, exhibition, and new for 2024 – The Emerging Leaders Campus and The Future Workplace sponsored by Vanti. Amie Leckie, Workplace Health and Wellbeing Specialist will be attending the event and is looking forward to raising awareness of health and wellbeing to foster a healthy workplace. Amie Leckie, Workplace Health and Wellbeing Specialist, says: “We must continue to acknowledge the importance of employee wellbeing. Our Healthy Hearts at Work Programme aims to support organisations to create a healthy workplace for their employees. We are excited to be attending the Workplace Event to speak about employee wellbeing and heart health.”
Heart Research UK is delighted to present at the Cardiovascular Professional Care Conference 2023 Posted on October 5, 2023May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill By Olivia Schofield Following the success of Heart Research UK’s award-winning HER disease campaign, Director of Health Promotion and Education, Dr Helen Flaherty and Cardiology Registrar at St Thomas’ Hospital, Dr Holly Morgan will be presenting to an esteemed group of cardiovascular and clinical professionals at ExCel London. HER disease was launched in September 2022 to raise awareness of how women are being affected by coronary heart disease, one of the single biggest killers of women in the UK. Coronary heart disease kills more than 23,000 women every year in the UK Coronary heart disease kills twice as many women as breast cancer in the UK Around 830,000 women are living with coronary heart disease The Cardiovascular Professional Care Conference is a two-day event delivering outstanding clinical content and critical updates for the whole sector. After establishing itself as the new home for the UK cardiology community, the highly anticipated 2023 edition will offer a unique platform for knowledge exchange, networking and the exploration of ground-breaking advancements in cardiovascular care. Registration is now open for Cardiovascular Professional Care, taking place on 14th and 15th November 2023 at ExCeL London. Created specifically for all healthcare professionals involved in the treatment, management and delivery of cardiovascular care, the event will also bring together exhibitors in a dynamic environment to showcase the latest products and innovations aimed at improving patient care and outcomes in cardiovascular care. This year’s conference is shaping up to be one of the most exciting yet, with a diverse array of sessions, workshops and panel discussions that delve into the latest developments in cardiovascular care. Among the highlights is a dynamic session led by Heart Research UK, focusing on the critical issue of HER disease and the loss of women’s lives to heart disease. Plenty of other sessions will take place with topics including clinical trials and emerging trends.
‘Less Sweet More Heart’ with MyFitnessPal Posted on February 16, 2023May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill To kick off Heart Month 2023, we partnered with MyFitnessPal for a pop-up event at Observation Point in London, with health checks for the public and striking anatomical heart made entirely of sugar on show. Did you know that the average male Brit consumes 83% more sugar than the recommended allowance each year? Too much sugar in the diet can lead to weight gain and obesity, which can increase your blood pressure and your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Over two million people are living with CHD in the UK and it’s one of the biggest killers. A team from Heart Research UK were at Observation Point the whole day, checking people’s blood pressure and body composition, talking through the results and giving out nutritional advice. The team was led by Dr Helen Flaherty, Director of Health Promotion and Education and registered nutritionist. On show were also two anatomical hearts made entirely of sugar, one weighing 10,950g which is the recommended yearly allowance, and the other one weighing 20,075g which is what the average Brit consumes. Sarah, a woman who had her health checked by the Heart Research UK team, said she came along to the event to make sure her blood sugar was okay. “I have been trying to exercise and get fit but it’s a lifelong battle. I started because I found out my cholesterol levels are raised. “I’m aware that there’s a lot of hidden sugar in food, but I didn’t know that people eat so much more than what’s recommended. I try to be aware of what I eat but at the end of the day we’ve all got a sweet tooth. I just want to try and keep fit as long as possible.”
How to reduce your sugar intake this Heart Month Posted on February 1, 2023May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill By Olivia Schofield Sugar can have a bittersweet effect when it comes to our health. Having too much sugar in your diet can lead to weight gain, which in turn puts you at a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. So, to mark the start of Heart Month, Heart Research UK has teamed up with MyFitnessPal to encourage people to reduce their sugar intake. A survey conducted by MyFitnessPal found that sugar is the number one thing people are trying to eat less of, and it is also the thing most people feel guilty about eating. Over half of the people questioned said they would like to reduce their sugar intake, but they were surprised to learn that added sugars are hidden in many common foods. So, with the average male consuming 83% more than the UK recommendation, how can you become more aware of your sugar intake? Check food labels for added sugars Sugar is often added to many common foods and drinks including cakes, biscuits, pudding, sweets, chocolate, drinks, and sweetened yogurts to name a few. Checking food labels in these products can let you determine if the food is high in sugar or not. Foods high in sugar contain 22.5g or more of total sugars per 100g and foods low in sugar contain 5g or less of total sugars per 100g.Free sugars Often ‘free sugars’ can also be added to foods as a flavour enhancement or to act as a preservative to increase the shelf-life of a product. Added sugar can be listed in several ways but key ingredients to look out for include sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, dextrose, honey, syrup, molasses, treacle, or fruit juice concentrates. It’s also important to know the amount of sugar you are eating daily. If you are unsure how much sugar you should be consuming, it is recommended that: For children between the ages of four and six the maximum free sugar per day is 19g For children between the ages of seven and 10 the maximum free sugar per day is 24g For adults, the maximum free sugar per day is 30g Make drink swaps Limiting sweet treats in your diet by consuming them less often or in smaller portions can decrease your intake of sugar. If you add sugar to hot drinks, try cutting back on the amount of sugar you add or opt for an artificial sweetener. You can even try swapping sugary soft drinks for water, sugar-free or reduced-sugar drinks. Other options include unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies, which are low in sugar, but try limiting your intake to no more than 150ml a day. Dessert and breakfast swaps Switching out sugary desserts for low-fat or low-sugar yogurts with fruit, can also reduce the amount of sugar you are consuming. If you have a sweet tooth and want a sugary pudding, try eating smaller portions. Another way to cut down on your sugar is to be careful of your sugar intake at breakfast time. Often, frosted, chocolate or honey coated breakfast cereals are high in sugar. Try replacing these with wholegrain breakfast cereals, such as bran flakes. Following this advice should help you to reduce your sugar intake and lower your risk of developing health complications including coronary heart disease. If you are interested in more heart healthy tips, you can sign up to our Healthy Tips here.
A beginner’s guide to collecting art Posted on October 4, 2022May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill By Olivia Schofield Being an art novice can be daunting, especially when you’re surrounded by collectors who have years of experience. However, buying your first artwork should spark enjoyment as the piece can be a great investment for years to come. Art sales have also been on the rise. An annual report by Art Basel and UBS Global Art in 2022 estimated that across the world art sales had exceeded $65.1 billion in 2021, with an increase in sales by 29%. This increase in demand means that now might be the perfect time to start your journey as a collector. To help you on your way to become an expert collector, we have a few top tips to make the process enjoyable and so you feel confident in your future art endeavours. Get familiar with different art genres and artists Art is not simply made up of one type of genre and over the years artists and art lovers alike have welcomed a myriad of textures, colours and styles. From Modern Art to Surrealism, there is a plethora of styles to choose from and finding your favourite style can be overwhelming. It’s important to get to grips with the different art genres before venturing into buying a piece of artwork. For a quick overview for spotting the different art genres, we recommend reading our article on your basic guide to art genres and where they work best in your home. This will give you a basic understanding of genres so you can find what best suits you. Trust your personal style and taste After brushing up on your genres. It is time to assess what you really like and want out of your piece of art. Art is about representing your individuality and taste. The art you are buying and placing on the walls of your home should be something you enjoy. So, when buying a piece of art, make sure you assess whether the piece is the right match for you and your home. It is not worth buying a piece spontaneously and not liking it in years to come. Does it match your interior design? It’s worth assessing your own personal space. What interior design do you have? What colour palette are you looking for? Having the wrong mixture, and clashing colours can create a space which is chaotic. For example, having an extremely modern interior wouldn’t match the bright and loud colours found in Pop Art. So, make sure you write a checklist of what you want in your home and how it will best suit your lifestyle. This means when you’re considering buying the artwork, you know it’ll perfectly compliment your space. Set your budget It’s easy to spend large amount on a piece of art you think will be worth the investment. However, a mistake some buyers can make is buying art which is too expensive to then never generate any profit back. Now you’ve read our beginners guide on collecting art, why not start your own collection by bagging a piece of artwork in the anonymous heART project auction. Not only will you be bringing your dream collection to life, but you will be funding vital research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart diseases.
Helping hearts runs in the family Posted on September 7, 2022May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill By Ebba Ritzen London Marathon 2022 is taking place on the 2nd of October. This year’s race follows a record-breaking year with roughly 40,000 people taking part in 2021. We’re lucky to always have so many amazing people running the London Marathon for us, and this year is no different. Among our runners this year there are actually two people with family ties to the charity!Phoebe WatsonPhoebe is the granddaughter of Dr David Watson, who founded Heart Research UK in 1967 after the death of a young patient. She’s running the marathon for the second time, admitting she feels terrified as she hurt her knee last time. Still, running for Heart Research UK is very important to her, and she’s proud of the work her grandfather did. “I don’t work in science or healthcare myself, so being able to contribute to the funding of more research by running feels great,” Phoebe says. Phoebe has a friend who’s had a heart problem since they were a baby, and it’s because of research that this person is still here today. Perhaps even research that her grandfather was able to support. Mathew’s dad is Kevin Watterson, a retired cardiac surgeon and one of our trustees. Mathew used to be a big runner about 10 years ago, doing events like Marathon Des Sables, a 251 km ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert. After a few busy years, turning 40 has inspired him to pick it back up again, to stay healthy for his family. Mathew didn’t think a lot about his dad’s job until a few years ago, when his wife mentioned his last name to someone at work. The colleague looked shocked for a second and asked if Mathew was Kevin Watterson’s son. The colleague then told the story of their daughter who had been extremely ill as a baby and needed multiple heart operations over the years to repair it. She initially had limited life expectancy, but luckily she was now 19 and healthy. They were incredibly grateful to Kevin Watterson and said they didn’t think the daughter would be alive without him and his work. Having his own kids, these stories have haunted Mathew, and he’s very keen to raise money for researchers to carry on the great cause that his dad contributed to. 50 years ago, 80% of babies born with a heart defect died, but now 80% survive, due to the great research being funded across the world. “Although most babies born with a heart defect now survive, 20% of them still don’t. Hopefully with more money for research, they might do in the future,” Mathew says. Mathew has a brilliant Instagram page (@one.more.beat) where you can follow his journey of training for the marathon, including some healthy heart tips from his dad who is his biggest supporter. His dad also ran the marathon for us back in 2004. Phoebe Watson says: “I don’t work in science or healthcare myself, so being able to contribute to the funding of more research by running feels great.” Mathew Watterson says: “Although most babies born with a heart defect now survive, 20% of them still don’t. Hopefully with more money for research, they might do in the future.”
Student artist to be showcased in celebrity art auction for the anonymous heART project Posted on July 6, 2022May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill By Ebba Ritzen This year marks the fifth anniversary of our anonymous heART project and to celebrate, we partnered with law firm Walker Morris to offer an exclusive opportunity to the students at Leeds Arts University. The anonymous heART project launched in 2018 and is an innovative fundraising campaign that sees top artists and celebrities produce unique pieces anonymously, which are then auctioned online. All proceeds go towards helping fund vital medical research into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease. This year’s auction will add to the £200,000 raised over the last four years. The students at Leeds Arts University were asked to submit a concept for an A5 postcard, with an open brief that could include textile, illustration, photography, music or creative writing – as long as it fits onto an A5 postcard. This year’s finalists have been named as: Aalia Ashraf – Foundation Diploma in Art & Design, Juliet Gaskell – level 5 BA (Hons) Visual Communication, Louise Allen – MA Creative Practice, Nicole Chang – level 5 BA (Hons) Visual Communication, Lauren Crawford – level 5 BA (Hons) Illustration and Thea Wormald – level 4 BA (Hons) Fine Art. The winning design will be commissioned and auctioned as part of the anonymous heART auction alongside professional artists and celebrities taking part in the project. The winner will also receive £1,000 in prize money. Walker Morris sponsored the first anonymous heART project in 2018 and again in 2021. This year’s auction will go live on eBay on 4 November and will see up to 500 A5 creations auctioned, including pieces from Ashley Jackson, Sarah Graham, Ralph Steadman, Andrew J Millar, Naomi Vona, Otto Schade and Bambi. However – the artist’s name will only be revealed once the piece has been sold and received by its new owner. David Smedley, Chairman of the LLP and a judge for this project, said: ‘Walker Morris is immensely proud to be sponsoring the anonymous heART project again this year, as well as being able to offer this unique opportunity to the extremely talented students of Leeds Arts University. The quality of the work has been incredible and the piece we chose as the winner is a tremendous piece of art – a standout piece in my view – about togetherness and support that sends all the right messages in these challenging times.’ Rachel Brooke, the anonymous heART project lead at Heart Research UK, said: ‘Being part of the judging panel has been such a pleasure and what a fantastic opportunity to see some very different and diverse pieces of art. All the submissions were inspired and had a real mix of techniques, styles and artistic vision, which made the task of choosing just one winner incredibly difficult. A lot of the pieces had a strong sense of bringing people together which is something that we try to do at Heart Research UK. We keep families together for longer through our investment into medical research and our work in local communities.’
Health check day at Liverpool primary school to improve locals’ heart health Posted on July 5, 2022May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill By Ebba Ritzen In June, we partnered with Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (LHCH) and Liverpool FC Foundation (LFC) for a day of health checks and heart health education at Fazakerley Primary School in Liverpool. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the largest cause of premature deaths in deprived areas, but it’s also been identified as the single biggest area where the NHS can save lives over the next 10 years. This inspired Heart Research UK, LHCH and LFC to create a project to improve the heart health of the local Liverpool population. Nearly half of the city’s primary schools are in highly deprived areas*, and this is where the project will direct its efforts. The health check day at Fazakerley Primary School was a pilot and we’re hoping to roll out the same concept in other schools and areas. An American style school bus was parked outside the school all day for teachers, carers, and parents to learn more about blood pressure, heart rhythm, and lungs with the opportunity to get their blood pressure and cholesterol checked by LHCH nurses. Healthcare professionals were also giving out healthy lifestyle advice and signposting to services like smoking cessation. In total, 101 people attended the bus during the day and they all found it both useful and informative. Nurses found that 16% of the attendees had raised blood pressure, and although a single reading is not a diagnosis, for some this will be the first important step on the way to confirm high blood pressure and management to their risk of developing heart disease. 45 people were advised to make contact with their GP for a variety of health reasons which included further blood pressure check, pulse check, smoking cessation referral amongst other reasons. Through our own Primary School Programme, the children in Year 6 were also educated on the importance of heart health. They were taken on an exciting journey through the heart, using virtual reality and computer games. The programme is entirely free for schools to sign up to and covers all the heart and circulatory points on the KS2 curriculum. Liverpool FC Foundation also delivered an after-school PE lesson that the children took part in. *The deprivation data has been provided by Intel Analytics at Liverpool City Council and is based on 2019 data collection and therefore may be subject to change.
Official charity partners of the 2022 WSF Doubles Squash Championship Posted on April 21, 2022May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill By Ebba Ritzen The 2022 WSF Doubles Squash Championship in Glasgow is now over, and we are delighted to have been the official charity partner through our Heart of Scotland Appeal. Every day, 47 people in Scotland die from cardiovascular disease, and we’re working hard to raise awareness and help more hearts in Scotland. Our Heart of Scotland Appeal had a strong presence across the Glasgow venue, including a text to donate code on the screens for people who wanted to support the appeal. The week was very eventful and saw many exciting matches and brilliant winners, including England’s Declan James and James Willstrop who won the men’s draw gold medal 2-0 against Scotland’s Greg Lobban and Rory Stewart. England hadn’t won a championship gold since 1997 in Hong Kong so it was a long time coming. Scotland also did well, winning both silver and bronze medals in the men’s draw. James Willstrop was pleased with the win: ‘We’re chuffed to bits. It’s a huge event, it’s a world title. We’re so grateful to Scottish Squash, to the WSF and for everyone who’s joined together to put this together and make it a huge event.’ Greg Lobban was also positive about the week: ‘The tournament was fantastic. This is the first time Rory and I have played together in a major competition, so to come second in the men’s draw is a great achievement. We knew coming in we were one of the best teams and had a really good chance, so I’m pleased we came away with something.’
Birmingham’s biggest carnival scores local headline sponsor Posted on April 14, 2022May 28, 2025 by Sarah Gill By Ebba Ritzén Leading engineering firm adi Group, with their head office in Birmingham, is the headline sponsor for Harborne Jubilee Carnival 2022 in support of Heart Research UK. The carnival is taking place along Harborne High Street on June 26th.Birmingham’s biggest carnival, second only to Notting Hill in the UK, is returning this summer, after being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19. This year, as it’s celebrating its 25th anniversary the same year as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the carnival has dubbed itself Harborne Jubilee Carnival for one year only. Heart Research UK Midlands is the charity partner of the carnival and adi Group are well aware of the importance of their work into prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease. Having supported the charity since 2015 they have raised nearly £120,000 to date for lifesaving research. Employees of the multidisciplinary engineering firm will be volunteering at the carnival as well as fundraising in the run up to the event and on the day. Entertainment will include live music, arts and crafts, stalls and fairground rides, as well as a focus on health and wellbeing. The organisers of the carnival are welcoming any sponsors or volunteers to help during the community event. Alan Lusty, CEO at adi Group, said: ‘We have built a remarkable relationship with Heart Research UK Midlands over the last seven years and are proud and delighted to be headline sponsors of this year’s Harborne Jubilee Carnival in support of the charity. ‘Recent times have been difficult and challenging for everybody and we’re very much looking forward to being involved in an event that focuses on bringing the local community together. As all money raised from the Harborne Carnival will go towards projects funded by Heart Research UK, we’re also engineering a better future for all.’ John Lloyd, Regional Executive at Heart Research UK Midlands, said: ‘Working in partnership with adi Group for so long has helped facilitate the funding of many local research and community projects here in the Midlands. We have big ambitions to expand the work of our charity within the local community and having adi Group as headline sponsors of this year’s carnival, supporting Heart Research UK Midlands, can make this a reality.’