Dear Friends,

As my 70th birthday approaches on 15th February, I’ve set myself a heartfelt goal: to raise £15,000 for the British Heart Foundation — a cause that is deeply personal to me.

My life was forever changed when, at just 26 years old, I lost my beloved father at the age of 55 due to heart failure. He had suffered from heart complications since contracting rheumatic fever during World War II. Under the care of the National Heart Hospital, he was one of the first patients to receive a pig’s valve transplant — performed by the renowned Sir Magdi Yacoub. That groundbreaking surgery gave us a few more precious years with him.

Sadly, heart problems have affected not only me but many of my family members and dear friends too. That’s why I’ve decided to dedicate this milestone year to fundraising for the British Heart Foundation — to support their life-saving research and help others live longer, healthier lives.

I’ll be kicking things off with a 10km London walk on Saturday, August 23rd, and I’d love for anyone who’s interested to join me. This is just the beginning of a year-long journey of events and activities to reach my fundraising target.

Please help me make a difference. Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to a future where heartbreak from heart disease is a thing of the past.

With heartfelt thanks,

Howard

Always working for a better future — together.