Heart disease can often be prevented by making the right lifestyle choices so our volunteers help to educate children.

Healthy Heart talks in schools

Our dedicated volunteer speakers visit primary schools in their area to give Healthy Heart talks to children age nine to 10. These interactive talks last about 40 minutes and cover:

• the heart and the amazing job it does
• the three steps to keeping your heart healthy
• eating a heart-healthy diet
• being active
• saying no to smoking

We provide FREE colourful puzzle sheets, stickers and balloons for each child.

We currently have trained speakers in many part of the UK and are always on the look out for enthusiastic people to help us take the Healthy Heart message to more schools.   We provide free training, resources and support for all our speakers.

If you are a teacher, parent or carer and would be interested in our Healthy Heart talks at your school, or if you would like to find out more about becoming a volunteer speaker, please contact us.

Some of our volunteer speakers share their stories

Jess demonstrates our Healthy Heart talk props

Jess Wilson, from Goole, is one of our most recent volunteer speakers. She’s a student studying Psychology with Nutrition and Health at Leeds Trinity and All Saints College and has a passion for healthy living. Jess says: “Heart disease is something I’ve had personal experience of, so having the opportunity to raise awareness of its dangers is very fulfilling. Talking to kids is really rewarding, they’re such great fun and I’m glad I can be a part of their learning.”

Another one of our speakers is retired home-economics teacher Joan Cole. She has given the Healthy Heart talk to more than half of the schools in and around Basingstoke and a dozen more in North East Hampshire. Joan has reached over 3500 pupils since she began volunteering with Heart Research UK.

Joan is passionate about fitness and healthy eating. Several of her family members have suffered from heart disease, so she has real enthusiasm for getting the Healthy Heart message across to the younger generation.

For more information contact Heart Research UK's Lifestyle Officer on 0113 297 6206 or email lifestyle@heartresearch.org.uk