A major store in Bury St Edmunds has put its weight behind supporting the My WiSH Charity’s Every Heart Matters appeal while members of the Thetford Inner Wheel Club have donated money to the campaign.
Matalan, in Easlea Road is backing the campaign which is aiming to raise £500,000 to help create a fully integrated cardiac centre at the West Suffolk Hospital.
The store has chosen it as their charity for the year and Rachel Worley, sales assistant and head of charity, said it was important to support the appeal.
She said: “We really wanted to get involved with something locally and when we saw details of the campaign we knew we wanted to support it and to see how much we can raise over the year.
“The cardiac centre is really important as so many people have to currently travel further afield for treatment so it will be of real benefit to our customers as well as our staff.”
Amy Hatch, fundraising officer, said:” “Matalan have just been amazing from the first time I met them. They are so enthusiastic and both staff and customers have been really interested in the work we do to enhance care at West Suffolk Hospital. This is a great opportunity for us and we can’t thank them enough.”
Meanwhile the Thetford Inner Wheel have given a £300 boost to the appeal.
They donated the money from a series of events they held including a coffee morning, dinner and beetle drive.
President Jackie Clark said: “We are very happy as a club to support My WiSH Charity. We know and appreciate the difference this wonderful new cardiac centre is going to make to us all in west Suffolk”.
And Marian de Bass, one of the members of the 26-strong group who meet on the first Thursday of every month added: “When it was coming to what we were going to do with the money we raised we decided to give it to the appeal and everyone is pleased it’s going to a local charity.
“The fact that it’s local is important and you never know when you might need their services and it’s wonderful that the unit it’s going to be closer to us all.”
Sally Daniels, appeal manager, said: “This is not the first time that the Thetford Inner Wheel members have supported My WiSH Charity. They are a wonderful group who help so many people and, as always, we can’t thank them enough for their continued support”.
The West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is investing £5.2m in developing a state of the art cardiac suite that will provide quicker access to more treatments, but the £500,000 My WiSH Charity is hoping to raise will lead to the whole unit, which is currently fragmented on different floors, being brought together in one purpose-built centre.
If you want to support the Every Heart Matters appeal go to the website www.mywishcharity.co.uk and if you would like to donate to the appeal you can do so by going to Justgiving.com/ehma or text EHMA17 £10 to 70070.
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