PureGym raises £1 million for British Heart Foundation

PureGym, the UK’s favourite gym chain, has raised an astonishing £1 million for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to fund lifesaving research into heart and circulatory diseases.  

In 2022 PureGym and the BHF formed a unique partnership to help raise vital funds for heart research based on their shared mission to inspire a healthier nation, one heartbeat at a time. The partnership also seeks to educate people on how to prevent, treat and manage their heart conditions. 

There are currently around 7.6 million people in the UK living with heart or circulatory diseases, which is the number one global killer of both men and women. 

The gym chain, which is celebrating hitting the incredible £1 million milestone, has encouraged its staff and members alike to take part in fundraising activities like the Hearts & Minds Relay.  

So far, the BHF has helped PureGym set up Recycle for Research donation boxes in their 370+ clubs, offer in-gym free blood pressure checks to members, and to register the defibrillators located in all of its gyms to The Circuit: the national defibrillator network. This is the largest number of defibrillators uploaded to The Circuit by a gym and demonstrates PureGym’s commitment to helping improve cardiac arrest survival rates in the UK. 

Rebecca Passmore, Group Chief Operating Officer at PureGym said:

“We are delighted to have raised such a significant sum for the BHF which will go towards funding groundbreaking research and initiatives to help save lives. At PureGym, we recognise the vital role exercise plays in maintaining a healthy heart and enabling people to live happier, healthier lives. Together with the BHF, we are determined to champion heart health. We would like to thank all our staff and members who have given so generously in order to make a difference to the millions of lives impacted by heart and circulatory conditions.” 

This partnership has also led to the creation of the innovative Healthy Hearts Programme, a free health and fitness programme on the PureGym app. The programme, which has had over 75,000 users since it launched in July, offers varying levels of exercise from PureGym’s fitness experts, advice from BHF cardiac nurses and a selection of heart-healthy recipes from BHF dietitians.  

Heart patient, 28-year-old Max Jarmey, is a huge supporter of the partnership. Having been diagnosed with a genetic heart muscle condition which tragically took the life of his father when he was only 13 years old, Max understands the impact that PureGym’s fundraising can have on heart research and cures. Max is one of 260,000 people in the UK living with an inherited heart muscle disease. 

He said:

“Fundraising of this kind, on this mass scale, is so important for the BHF’s research. My cardiologist is a BHF-funded professor and has been incredible at helping me manage the risks of my condition. I know he is also currently working on finding a cure for my condition thanks to BHF funds.  

“I have an ICD, which is a mini defibrillator under my skin that shocks me if my heart goes into abnormal heart rhythm. This has happened several times and I’m so grateful that I have it.” 

Max is a keen sportsman with a history of being an accomplished mountain biker and hockey player, although sadly strenuous activity can often exacerbate his heart condition. It is Max’s dream that BHF-funded research can help him live a more normal life and “just go for a run.” 

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the BHF said:  

“We are hugely grateful to PureGym for raising £1 million to help power our ground-breaking research. The lifesaving steps they have taken to introduce defibrillators, teach CPR and carry out blood pressure checks shows their commitment to inspire a healthier nation, one heartbeat at a time.  

“Partnerships like PureGym are vital to the BHF, so we can save and improve the lives of people like Max, and their families. I’m so pleased that this partnership will be continuing into the new year in the hope of raising even more vital funds for ground-breaking heart and circulatory research.” 

To find out more about the BHF’s partnership with PureGym visit: https://www.bhf.org.uk/pure-gym.