For funders
We’re a registered charity working to improve outcomes for people living with heart conditions across North Gwent. We receive no NHS funding, so we rely on grants, donations and fundraising events to cover our running costs and subsidise the cost of our classes.
What we do
Founded in 1990, the North Gwent Cardiac Rehabilitation and Aftercare Charity uses exercise to help improve the health and wellbeing of people living with heart and circulatory conditions across North Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent.
Currently these diseases kill 1 in 4 people in our region, and while treatment has improved massively over the past 30 years, outcomes for heart patients in Wales are still worse than in England.
Research (see links below) shows that regular physical exercise is one of the most effective things people can do to manage their heart health and regain and maintain their fitness and quality of life. That’s why it’s an essential part of hospital-based cardiac rehab programmes.
But once patients complete their hospital rehab, they can struggle to stay motivated. And many heart patients worry about exercising outside the hospital environment, in case they overdo it and “something goes wrong”. So we make it easy for them to carry on exercising safely, with an ongoing programme of weekly community-based classes led by BACPR-qualified cardiac rehab exercise instructors.
More than just exercise
Our friendly classes give heart patients a safe space to rebuild their strength and fitness. They also help break down the isolation many feel following a heart diagnosis, and our members report that the social side of classes – and being with people who understand the life-changing impact of a heart diagnosis – is every bit as important to their recovery as the exercise.
We are working to provide more of this for our members as we recognise its role in boosting their confidence and mental wellbeing.
How we are funded
We are not part of the NHS, and receive no public funding, so we do have to charge for our classes. But we subsidise the cost to help make them as affordable as possible for members. That means we rely on fundraising, grants, donations and the generous support of the public and our community to help us deliver our vital services.
If you would like to help fund our work, please contact our Chairperson, Jacky Miles – call 07484 658319 or email info@cardiac-rehab.org.uk.
Research links
