Project title: Hearts and Minds Project
Region: Llanharan, Wales
Award amount: £14,796
Date: June 2025
Local data within Llanharan shows high rates of heart disease and a lack of sufficient health education. Surveys completed by community members revealed a low level of understanding regarding diet, exercise and stress management, highlighting the need for an education-based project to help reduce the risk of heart diseases within the area. Hearts and Minds project will provide this much needed education in Llanharan surrounding heart diseases and provide resources and support to make long-term health changes.
Llanharan Community Development Project aims to support individuals at risk of heart disease or those already exhibiting early signs of heart health problems through the Hearts and Minds initiative.
The Hearts and Minds project has been designed to promote mental and emotional well-being alongside physical health. The project will include stress management and emotional resilience, nutrition workshops and cooking demonstrations, and physical activity sessions. Walking and gardening groups will run alongside this project as additional light exercise for participants to benefit from. All beneficiaries will receive a smartwatch to wear throughout the duration of the project, allowing them to track their movement and heart rate, providing further motivation to change their unhealthy behaviours.
Participants will have a deeper understanding of the connection between emotional and physical well-being, especially how stress, lifestyle and mental health directly influence heart health. Participants will feel empowered to make informed choices around nutrition, exercise and self-care to support healthier hearts and foster lasting habits. This project will measure the impact the beneficiaries have on their heart health through several health measures, including blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, BMI and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. This will show the effectiveness of the intervention.
This project aligns with the specific needs of the community, providing lasting and meaningful benefits in improving heart health outcomes.