Team's work as Heart Heroes

MEMBERS of the Health and Physical Activity Team were last year selected for a Pride in Oldham award. Back, from left, Jo Parry, Jason Bailey, Jackie Hanley. Seated, Patrick Wolstenholme

A COMMITTED team has been shortlisted for an award for their work with those suffering from heart disease.

The Oldham Community Leisure team who support residents and provide specialist cardiovascular classes were selected for the British Heart Foundation Heart Heroes Award.

OCL's Health and Physical Activity Team were one of just two groups across the North West to be chosen.

The award is given to those who show "drive and commitment" to improve the lives of heart patients and, or, their families.

Jackie Hanley on behalf of the team said: "The whole team is really pleased to be recognised by the British Heart Foundation for the work they do in supporting people with heart disease.

"We know the scheme makes a huge difference to the participants health and wellbeing."

The team look after people with specialist conditions through British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (BACPR) classes to help improve the health of Oldhamers.

Part of their role is to care for those with coronary heart disease who use the OCL site as a result of being referred by a GP.

Each year they receive more than 228 referrals, with 94 per cent of the participants who have been referred choosing to take up the scheme.

They also provide a Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) referral scheme which currently offers beginner and maintenance classes to keep people active.

Jackie said: "The commitment and drive of the team is highly commendable with often very nervous clients coming to exercise after a life changing event. The team very quickly puts the clients at ease, support, monitor and change perceptions around exercise leaving them knowing that they can continue to live an active healthy lifestyle.

"They are all very knowledgeable, caring and wonderful people who help to improve people's daily lives, while reducing the burden of care on the NHS due to improving health through physical activity rather than medication."

The team last year won the Pride of Oldham Award for Oldham Health Worker Award due to their work in boosting the borough's health.

This latest success will seen them attend a Supporter Day awards ceremony at the University of Manchester Innovation Centre on July 4.

Chief executive at the British Heart Foundation Simon Gillespie said: "The Oldham Community Leisure Centre team are perfect examples of the extraordinary contribution made by our supporters. Without people like them, we wouldn't be able to fund life-saving research.

"For over 50 years we've pioneered research that has transformed the lives of millions of people living with heart disease. But heart and circulatory disease still kills more than one in four people in the UK, stealing them away from their families and loved ones."