Employees from Old Mutual Wealth have been investing their time to help heart charity Wessex Heartbeat.

KIND HEARTED: Ken Wilde of Wessex Heartbeat (far left) with members of Old Mutual Wealth who spent a day carrying out work at Heartbeat House.
Members of the financial company based in Commercial Road, Southampton, volunteered to spend a day painting and decorating at the charity’s Heartbeat House in Tremona Road.
Heartbeat House is situated opposite Southampton General Hospital and offers accommodation for the families of children and adults being treated at the Wessex Cardiac Centre, for as long as they need it.
Ken Wilde of Wessex Heartbeat said: “The team from Old Mutual were brilliant – painting our quiet room, tidying up the garden and also painting our new donor wall.
“The latter was especially helpful as it now paves the way for our Have a Heart Campaign, one of our most exciting fundraising initiatives for 2017 and 2018.”
Since it began 25 years ago, Wessex Heartbeat has raised almost £16m for the cardiac unit at Southampton General Hospital, funding projects including the Young Adult Cardiac Centre and a £1 million refurbishment of the children’s ward.
The charity’s Have a Heart campaign invites people to support its continuing work by leaving a unique and ‘heartfelt’ legacy.
Ken explained: “People can pledge either £500 for a Golden Heart with an inscription of their choice or £100 for a red Love Heart, again with their own message.
“Some people have bought hearts to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have been treated at the centre. Others have done it just because they want to support its life saving work.
“But whatever the reason, their heart will take a permanent pride of place on the donor wall and will be seen by every person who stays at the house while their loved ones undergo treatment.”
Supporters have already sponsored nine Golden Hearts and 34 red Love Hearts, raising a total of £7900. All the money raised so far and in the coming months will fund Wessex Heartbeat’s continuing support of the Wessex Cardiac Centre.
For information on how to support Wessex Heartbeat and the Have a Heart campaign, please contact: 023 8070 6095 or visit: www.heartbeat.co.uk
Picture caption: Ken Wilde of Wessex Heartbeat (far left) with members of Old Mutual Wealth who spent a day carrying out work at Heartbeat House.
Media information from Debbie Granville at Deep South Media on: 07884 657782 or email: debbiegranville@deepsouthmedia.co.uk