Luton and Dunstable locals are being thanked by British Heart Foundation (BHF) Shops after helping to turn their unwanted bags, boots and beds into lifesaving local equipment, including three defibrillators for the county.
Volunteering hours, donations and purchases by the local community have raised a staggering £316,000 over the past year - money which has helped fund two heart support groups and a heart nurse in Bedfordshire.
Jacqui Whitehall, BHF Area Manager, said: “The generosity of people in the Bedfordshire area has been astonishing and we want to thank every single person who has joined us in the fight against heart disease.
“Quite often people don’t realise that the sofa or dress that they donate actually raises vital funds and helps pay for anything from an echo machine in the local hospital to a community heart support group.”
The nation’s heart charity also currently funds four Heartstart schemes in Bedfordshire, which teach Emergency Life Support training in the community and schools.
The BHF also has Furniture & Electrical Stores in Bedford as well as BHF Shops, selling clothes, shoes, CDs and DVDs in Luton and Dunstable.