Shoppers at two supermarket stores in west Suffolk have shown their support for improvements to the cardiac department at a local hospital.

The Asda branches in Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket have raised £200 each for the Every Heart Matters appeal for West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds.

The campaign, run by the hospital’s My WiSH charity and backed by the East Anglian Daily Times and West Suffolk Mercury, reached its target of £500,000 in December, which has enabled West Suffolk Hospital to create a specialist heart diagnosis unit and bring the heart department together on one floor.

Shoppers at Asda stores get a chance to nominate which charity they would like to receive money from the Asda Foundation.

They receive a green token in store to put into a box of their choice and the Every Heart Matters appeal gained the customers’ support.

Michelle Frost, the stores’ community champion said: “We are all aware of the issues surrounding heart treatment and shoppers felt they wanted to support the appeal.”

Sally Daniels, appeal manager, said: “We can’t thank Asda enough for giving us the opportunity to let everyone know about our Every Heart Matters appeal. This money really does make a difference and, as it stays local, it could potentially help us all.”

For more information about Every Heart Matters see here.