Aylesbury gym gets hearts racing in aid of cardiac charity

A gym in Aylesbury has got hearts racing with a group workout challenge in aid of cardiac charity Heartbeat.

Fitness Blueprint’s ‘Engine Race’ brought together both gym newbies and seasoned pros for a whole body workout and raised more than £3,500 for the charity.

A cause close to the gym’s heart, Heartbeat provides life-saving cardiac care and vital support to patients and their families. Just a three-minute walk from the cardiac wards at University Hospital Southampton, the charity also runs ‘Heartbeat House’ - dedicated accommodation for loved ones to stay close during treatment.

One of Fitness Blueprint’s coaches, Hannah Coker had stayed at Heartbeat House while her sister received care for a congenital heart and lung condition. So when the gym decided to run a fundraiser, Heartbeat was the first charity that came to mind.

Hannah said: “When you’re in and out of hospital seeing your loved one in some of the most vulnerable and scary times of their life, Heartbeat House is the stress-free environment you didn’t know you needed.

“You can decide to keep yourself to yourself in your room, you can chat with other families in similar situations, you can play games or you can go and watch some TV. It really has everything to suit different people.

“Heartbeat House needs to be shouted about as the work they do behind the scenes to make the emotional rollercoaster of the families situation a little more settled can’t go unnoticed.”

Hannah’s sister Katharine added: “For me, knowing my family is close by is a source of comfort that got me through a lot. For my family, being walking distance from the hospital made leaving me on the ward easier, as well as removing the stress of driving to and from hospital.”

Fitness Blueprint’s Founder Guy Woodliffe-Thomas said: “This is the gym’s very first charity event and we’ve had a terrific turn-out. We wanted this to be a community event for everyone to take part in. The Engine Race is made for a range of abilities – we’ve had people in their early 20s through to late 60s taking part.

“Everyone did a fantastic job on the day and we’ve raised more than £3,500 for a cause we’re really proud to support at Fitness Blueprint.”

Tanya Harder, Community Fundraising and Marketing Manager at Heartbeat, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone at Fitness Blueprint for raising an amazing total in support of Heartbeat. This generous donation will help us continue providing vital equipment, services and support for cardiac patients and their families. On behalf of everyone at Heartbeat, thank you for helping to make a real and lasting difference.”