WITH spring just around the corner, I wanted to encourage your readers to keep the BHF in mind during their spring clear out this year and donate any unwanted items to their local BHF shop to help fund lifesaving heart research.

It is a sad reality that there are an estimated 843,600 people living with heart and circulatory disease in the north west.

The BHF funds more than £100 million of research across the UK each year into fighting these terrible diseases – from improving diagnosis to finding life saving new treatments – to help create a better future for everyone affected.

It is only down to our generous supporters that we are able to fund this truly ground-breaking heart research.

Donating any good quality items from your spring clear out to the BHF is a really simple way everyone can get involved and help in the fight for every heartbeat.

Each item donated, from books to bags and clothes to CDs, will be much appreciated by your BHF shop.

To help make the process hasslefree, we offer a free home collection service straight to your door which can be booked through your shop or by calling our free-phone number on 0800 915 3000.

If you are a UK taxpayer you can also gift aid your donation which helps us to make an extra 25p for each £1 raised from your unwanted items and costs you nothing in return.

I really hope your readers are able to support us this spring – there really are bags of reasons for a clear out.

To find your shop, order free donation bags or find out more about our free collection service, visit bhf.org.uk/bag it.

JULIE CLEGG Area manager at the British Heart Foundation