Project title: Heart of the Leopards
Region: England, North
Award amount: £12,611
Award date: December 2024 – December 2025
This Healthy Heart Grant project has now finished, read on for the project highlights
The Wigan area has high levels of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and sedentary lifestyles. Surveys within the area have shown that 42,000 people live with heart and circulatory disease, and 36% of adults fail to meet the physical activity recommendations. The Northwest records approximately 3600 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests annually, with a survival rate of only 1 in 13. This shows urgent need for targeted interventions to improve heart health such as the Heart of the Leopards Programme.
The Heart of the Leopards Programme was a free 12-week programme aimed at men aged 45–65-year-olds in the Wigan area. This project targeted individuals with a BMI over 28, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol and/or high blood pressure. They ran healthy lifestyle workshops followed by fun exercise sessions to help beneficiaries to improve their physical wellbeing and to adopt a healthier, more active lifestyle. Sessions were held weekly at the LSV Stadium, home of Leigh Leopards, and included workshops on creating healthy eating plans, alcohol intake and smoking cessation, and understanding food labels alongside physical activity sessions of the participants choice. By providing a supportive and engaging environment, the Heart of the Leopards Programme helped participants to make lasting changes to their health and wellbeing, ultimately reducing cardiovascular risks and improving overall quality of life
Leigh Leopards Healthy Heart Grant project, Heart of the Leopards, allowed participants to train alongside first team players. They shared personal insights around mindset, moderation and balance helping to reinforce positive attitudes towards realistic goal-setting and long-term behaviour change. The first team Nutritionist held Q&A sessions for the beneficiaries which lead to an improved understanding of heart-healthy eating including portion control, reducing saturated fat and making affordable food choices. This helped result in the majority of participants showing positive improvements in at least one cardiovascular risk factor, with weight, BMI and/or blood pressure being improved. Other benefits found were strengthened confidence, social connection and long-term behaviour change. Many participants report continuing physical activity independently after the programme and group members are meeting up for walks or exercise.
“Taking part in the 12-week programme really helped me get back on track with my health. I’ve lost weight, cut down my alcohol intake and stopped relying on takeaways so much.”
Leigh Leopards Healthy Heart Grant Project
“I signed up to the 12-week course just to try and get a bit fitter, but it’s honestly changed more than I expected. I am definitely fitter, I feel better about myself, and my confidence has gone through the roof.”