According to WorldAtals.com the top cause of death globally is Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD), or Coronary Heart Disease. However, there are many organisations and charities set up to combat heart diseases, and one of the most recognisable in the UK is the British Heart Foundation.  They are the nation's heart charity and the largest independent funder of cardiovascular research. Their aim is to create a world in which people do not die prematurely or suffer from cardiovascular disease. (according to their website).

The charity sells second hand donated items of clothing, books, music, furniture, electronics and more. The money raised goes towards research and funding scientists. Their website also gives tips and advice on how to prevent heart disease such as healthy eating and exercise. To further this, this year the British Heart Foundation in March held a nationwide sponsored ‘DECHOX’ challenge where anyone could sign up to give up all forms of cocoa for one month. According to their website, more than 16,000 people took on the challenge and over £1 million was raised for life-saving heart research.

My local BHF shop is a Books & Music branch and all their merchandise is comprised of second-hand belongings. I asked a local volunteer there, Melissa about the charity and she said “It is good to work with others for a common good. Working here, you get to really know the community while working towards a good cause.” She thought that it was very important to get involved and said “Volunteers are the lifeblood of the organisation and it is a great opportunity. Here there are especially a lot of young people who volunteer for D of E (Duke of Edinburgh award). I would definitely recommend coming here, or even volunteering, even if it is just for one hour a week. It creates life skills that can add to employability”.

The work they do is crucial in the fight against heart diseases, so all donations are vital and appreciated. Look out for a local BHF shop near you that could use your donation of goods or even time. And for more information about how you could get involved, see their website:  https://www.bhf.org.uk/