PUREGYM, the UK’s leading gym chain, has completed a month of fundraising challenges to raise over £48,000 to go towards cardiovascular research and carry out more than 2,800 blood pressure checks on gym-goers, as part of its ongoing partnership with British Heart Foundation (BHF), the UK’s largest independent funder of cardiovascular research.
Gym staff and members from over 470 PureGym clubs across the UK took part in the popular fitness chain’s ‘Feel the Beat’ summer challenge. Activities included mountain climbs, fundraising gym classes and run clubs, fancy dress days, 12-hour cycling challenges, bake sales, sports days, fitness competitions, ‘rowathons’, treadmill challenges, raffles, quizzes and more.
‘Feel the Beat’ also saw PureGym colleagues deliver over 2,800 blood pressure checks, helping raise awareness of cardiovascular health and the importance of knowing your numbers.
According to the BHF, over 8 million people in the UK are currently living with cardiovascular (CVD) disease, the world’s biggest killer.
High blood pressure is the most common modifiable risk factor for CVD – meaning it can often be prevented or managed with treatment and lifestyle measures – with an estimated 30% of UK adults (16 million) affected. However, it is believed that up to 5 million of these are undiagnosed, which is why having regular blood pressure checks is so important.
Research shows that being physically active, including regular exercise, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 35%. The NHS recommends aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, including aerobic (cardio) and resistance and strength-building exercise.
PureGym has been an official partner of BHF since February 2022, bringing their teams and communities together to work on a range of transformational projects and raise vital funds to improve heart health across the UK. To date, more than £2.8 million has been raised in total since the partnership started to help fund BHF’s lifesaving cardiovascular research.
Martyn Brett-Lee, UK & Ireland Managing Director at PureGym, said:
“Our ‘Feel the Beat’ summer challenge has been a fantastic success. Hundreds of colleagues and team members across the UK took part, and together we raised over £48,000 to help fund cardiovascular research and carried out thousands of blood pressure checks.
“Challenges like ‘Feel the Beat’ bring to life our mission to inspire and support people to improve their wellbeing and take care of their heart health. We recognise that exercise plays a key role in this, alongside raising awareness of cardiovascular health and the importance of blood pressure checks, so that any problems can be prevented or detected as early as possible.”
Sian Dickson, Corporate Partnerships Manager at the BHF, said:
“We are hugely grateful to PureGym and all the team members and gym-goers who took part in the ‘Feel the Beat’ challenge, raising an incredible £48,000 for the BHF and helping shine a light on the importance of looking after your heart health.
“But the impact of this partnership goes far beyond fundraising. Through Feel the Beat, PureGym teams have also helped deliver over 2,800 blood pressure checks, giving more people the opportunity to better understand their heart health and take action earlier. This directly supports the BHF’s prevention mission and our ambition to help more people live longer, healthier lives.
“Partnerships like this are vital to helping us save and improve lives, and it is inspiring to see what PureGym teams, members and communities have achieved together over the last four years. Their energy, commitment and passion continue to make a real difference.”
To learn more about PureGym’s partnership with BHF, click here.
