Spotlight Spring Summer 2024

Spotlight 

The magazine for the supporters of 

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Charity 

Spring/Summer 2024 

Issue 17 

Spotlight on LHCH in your Community 

School support for LHCH Charity 

Christmas Campaign Success 

Also in this 

issue 

Your 2024 Events 

Calendar 

Home Time, 

recipes, quiz and 

much more ...

Spotlight on... 

LHCH in the Community 

LHCH is getting out and about!! 

As well as providing health care for over 115,000 people who visit our 

hospital each year, LHCH plays a major role in keeping our 

communities as healthy as possible by offering preventative and early 

detection services in their own area. In this way we are helping to 

tackle heart and lung disease as soon as possible and even stopping 

them happening at all. 

In this edition we are spotlighting the work of the Liverpool Healthy 

Families Heart Project - a pilot service run in conjunction with Heart 

Research UK and the Liverpool FC Foundation. 

Why the Healthy Families Heart Project is important? 

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the term given for conditions affecting 

the heart or circulatory system. The three main conditions associated 

with this are Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke and Peripheral Arterial 

Disease. CVD causes a quarter of all deaths in the UK, yet it has been 

identified as the biggest single area where lives can be saved through 

preventative education and early detection. 

What does the Healthy Families Heart Project involve? 

Firstly, we have the prevention programme which is aimed at education 

for primary school children in Years 5 and 6, it delivers four lessons on 

understanding the heart, physical activity and the heart, healthy eating 

and making healthy choices – all done with virtual reality goggles and 

computer games. 

For early detection we take to the road in the American style big yellow 

bus and visit the school to provide mini-health checks for the adults too. 

School staff, parents, carers and family can undergo blood pressure and 

cholesterol checks, have their BMI tested as well as being given healthy 

lifestyle advice. 

4 - Spotlight Spring/Summer 2024 

Spotlight Spring/Summer 2024 - 5

What has it done so far? 

On the first visit to Fazakerley 

Primary School in Liverpool over one 

hundred people attended. Forty four 

people were identified as having high 

blood pressure and one with atrial 

fibrillation required immediate 

hospital attendance as an emergency. 

The pupils and teachers also loved 

the lessons with 100% positive 

feedback from the surveys taken and 

they especially loved the PE lesson 

conducted by Liverpool FC staff that 

afternoon. 

What’s going to happen in 

the future? 

The whole project has been such a 

success we are now looking at 

expanding it across more areas. In 

addition we believe that we can do even 

more with this programme by running it 

alongside our Targeted Lung Health 

Check Programme (TLHC). 

THLC has run for some years and offers 

people the opportunity to have a lung 

health check and, if needed, a follow up 

CT scan. The CT scans as well as 

identifying potential problems with the 

lungs have also highlighted other 

potential problems such as coronary 

artery calcification (where calcium 

collects in the two main arteries of the 

heart). By coordinating the two health 

checks together it is hoped that we can 

provide the most comprehensive early 

detection service possible and help save 

even more lives. 

In future editions of Spotlight we will be 

covering some of the other eighteen community 

projects that LHCH delivers. 

Geraldine’s Thanks to TLHC 

As an LHCH member of staff, Geraldine (pictured) was well aware 

of the Targeted Lung Health Check service LHCH provides. 

However, she never thought that it would be essential to her own 

family when two of her sisters received diagnosis and treatment 

through the TLHC programme. 

Both Kathleen and Norma were invited, as former smokers, to 

attend the lung health clinic. Some abnormalities were found, and 

Kathleen and Norma were invited for further tests including scans 

and biopsies of the lung. The results, unfortunately weren’t what 

both sisters were hoping for as both were confirmed as having lung 

cancer. 

Thanks to early treatment, including 

an operation and chemotherapy, 

Kathleen was given the all-clear, 

while Norma continues to 

receive on-going treatment. 

Geraldine commented, 

“The services we offer 

within the community are 

just so vital for so many. 

Without the TLHC 

programme both of my 

sisters would have been 

living completely unaware 

of their cancer. We sadly 

lost a brother to cancer and 

so I could not be more grateful 

for the care both Kathleen and 

Norma have received.” 



Get your garden blooming lovely for 

Summer with our handy tips! 

Hometime 

Ingredients 

1. Clean up your flowerbeds by clearing away 

dead leaves and winter debris. 

2. Divide your perennials by dividing clumps. As 

well as being budget friendly it stops them 

thinning out! Then don’t forget to add a good 

fresh layer of mulch. 

3. Prune trees and shrubs by removing last 

year's growth to just two or three buds above 

healthy thick stems to provide a good 

framework for new growth. 

Spring Pesto Casserole 

Casseroles aren’t just for winter, 

this light, vibrant one-pot is packed 

with spring veg and herby pesto. 

Method 

Prep Time: 20 mins 

Cook Time: 45 mins 

Serves 4 

1 tbsp olive oil 

1 onion chopped. 

500g boneless, skinless 

chicken thighs 

300g small new potatoes 

425ml low-salt vegetable stock 

350g broccoli cut into 

small florets 

350g spring green cabbage 

shredded (or cabbage if spring 

green is not available) 

140g Petit Pois 

1 bunch spring onions sliced 

2 tbsp Pesto 

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan. 

Add the onion, gently fry for 5 mins until softened, add the chicken, 

then fry until lightly coloured. Add the potatoes, stock and plenty of 

freshly ground black pepper, then bring to the boil. 

See how much you know about 

Summer Music by taking our quiz! 

1. Where did Cliff Richard famously perform “Summer 

Holiday” in 1996? 

2. Summer Nights from Grease was a hit in what year? 

3. “Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer was recorded by 

which artist in 1963? 

4. What sort of Summer was a hit for Bananarama in 1984? 

5. Summertime was the most successful single by DJ Jazzy 

Jeff and which other rapper? 

Quiz answers on page 22... 

Cover, then simmer for 30 mins until the potatoes are tender 

and the chicken is cooked. Can be frozen at this point. 

Add the broccoli, spring green cabbage, petit pois and 

spring onions, stir well and then return to the boil. 

Cover, then cook for 5 mins more, stir in the pesto 

and heat through. 

8 - Spring/Summer 2024 


Events extravaganza! 

Thinking of challenging 

yourself this year? 

Well, if that’s the case why not take a look at some of the exciting 

challenges that we have on offer and don’t forget if these aren’t for 

you why not share with family members and friends. You never know 

they might be the thing they are looking for! 

Tough Mudder Challenge 

14th July 2024 

Heaton Park, Manchester 

A Tough Mudder is more than just an obstacle 

course, it’s a chance to unplug from the daily 

grind, experience the unexpected and 

accomplish something bigger than yourself, 

while getting the dirtiest you have ever been 

since you were six! 

to get your 

place! 

Skydive Challenge 

14th and 15th of September 2024 

Black Knights Skydiving Centre, Lancaster. 

Is jumping out of a plane on your 

bucket list? Imagine doing all of 

that whilst raising funds for LHCH 

Charity? Your day will involve a 

safety briefing and then once 

that’s completed a British 

Skydiving qualified instructor will 

join you for a tandem skydive 

where you will experience the 

120mph rush of soaring through 

the skies. 

It’s a £70 registration fee with a 

minimum of £400 to be raised 

through sponsorship. 

to get your 

place! 

It’s just £25 to register with a minimum of £100 sponsorship raised. 

So, what are you waiting for it’s time to see if that soap powder 

really can get the dirt off! 

For queries, call us on 0151 600 1409 or email enquiries@lhchcharity.org.uk 

Not your cup of tea? 

Our events calendar is always being updated so don’t forget to 

check your emails and our website for details of new events 

when they are available! 

Also, if you would like to organise your own event, don’t 

hesitate to get in touch with the Charity Team and we will do 

our best to help! 



All Change Please …. 

At LHCH Charity we are always looking for the best ways we can 

provide value for the money which our supporters so generously give 

us. This includes checking on how we can get the best deals with our 

suppliers, for our merchandise, and even our bank account. 

So, when we found out that we could earn more in the 

interest by switching bank accounts to the NatWest 

Government Banking Service (a whopping 5.14% 

rather than the 1.5% we are currently earning) we 

were straight on it. 

What does this mean for you? 

For many of you it won’t mean too much, except for the fact that 

you know your donations are working even harder, you will still 

make your cheques payable to LHCH Charity and send them to the 

same place. 

For our regular givers however, we will need you to 

update your regular giving form and we will be contacting 

you separately with the details of how to do this. 

Moving giving into the 21st Century. 

This change of bank account also led 

us to think about how people give and 

the many new ways that you can 

show your support. So, we thought 

we would produce a handy guide to 

the ways you can give, so you can 

make your own choice. 

Whatever way you choose to make 

your donation please know how 

grateful we are. Times are tough and 

there are so many charities out there, 

so we really value your support. 

Support in the way that’s best for you: 

By cheque 

Of course we still take the good old dependable 

cheque. Just make sure it’s made payable to LHCH 

Charity. 

By Bank Transfer 

This is free and can be done at your branch or online. If 

you are thinking of donating to LHCH Charity this way, 

then please do include your name and post code in the 

reference so we can identify you and thank you 

properly. You can find our bank details on the form at 

the back of this newsletter. 

Online 

You can donate online at our website 

(www.lhchcharity.org.uk). We use PayPal to transact our 

donations as they are secure. There is a small fee but we 

think it’s worth it to be safe online. 

Text Giving 

LHCH Charity does not currently operate a text giving 

service, but it may be something we look into if there is a 

proven demand for it – so let us know your thoughts! 

In person 

If you are visiting the hospital, you can always pop in to 

see us in the Charity Office (we are just opposite 

Outpatients). Over the coming months you will also see 

our new contactless giving stations that will be popping 

up all over the hospital. You can make a payment with 

your card or even your ‘phone! 

If you have any queries regarding our change of bank details, 

please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the Charity Team 

and we will be happy to help! 



Schools Step Out for 

LHCH Charity 

Grange Senior School’s 1 million metre challenge 

The weekend of 20th and 21st January saw pupils of Grange Senior 

School challenging themselves to row one million metres in memory of 

former pupil, John Nesbitt, who died at the young age of eighteen 

from arrhythmia caused by myocarditis. Their aim was to raise as 

much money as possible for LHCH Charity and our 

work with young people who have heart 

disease. 

A tough two days followed but they 

had the encouragement of proud 

parents and teachers to keep them 

going. In the early hours they had 

already smashed their target but they 

were determined to keep at it and by 

the end of the day they had reached 

the truly astonishing total of 1.5 million 

metres. 

Thanks to their amazing efforts they 

managed to raise the phenomenal sum of £3,845! 

What an absolutely brilliant result and we can't thank you enough for 

not only meeting this epic challenge but for everything you do for us - 

you really are amazing! 

Skipping Triumph for Lunt’s Heath 

No-one was more surprised than us to get a telephone call from 

Lunt’s Heath Primary School in Widnes to tell us that their Reception, 

Year 1 and Year 2 classes had chosen LHCH Charity as their Charity 

of the Year. We were nominated by five-year-old Jude following his 

Grandad’s successful treatment at LHCH. 

That’s roughly one hundred and twenty children 

aged between four and seven, who wanted to 

raise funds for people living with heart and lung 

disease. 

“What wonderful children” was our first thought 

but when we heard that their first fundraising 

challenge was a skipping marathon involving skipping 

a mile, Double Dutch and single skipping while getting sponsored, we 

were in absolute awe! 

So, on 26th October the Great Skipathon started and my goodness 

didn’t they skip their little socks off, raising an amazing £2,666 for 

LHCH Charity. The next challenge wasn’t quite so exhausting but it 

tasted absolutely yummy! On 9th February the children held the 

Brilliant Bake Sale selling their own range of cakes, brownies and 

cookies. – raising the amazing total of £340 on the day. So over 

£3,000 raised already with a further challenge 

to take place in the Summer. 

“We are so proud of them 

for showing such a 

commitment to helping 

others in their community 

and especially at such an 

early age. Now they can’t 

wait for their next 

fundraising adventure to 

help LHCH Charity.” 

Staff at Lunt’s Heath School 



Life in 3D for Cardio-Oncology 

You may remember back in Autumn 2022 we told you all about 

the Cardio-Oncology unit at LHCH, one of only six such specialist 

centres in the UK. 

To refresh your memory, cardio-oncology is a relatively new 

medical discipline that treats people who either have an existing 

heart condition and then develop cancer or alternatively those 

who go on to develop a heart condition due to the cardiotoxicity 

of some cancer treatments. 

LHCH has been running this vitally important service since 2019 

and during that time, demand has grown exponentially – going 

from one clinic a fortnight to two a week. The service now helps 

over 600 people a year. 

Dr Rebecca Dobson, 

Cardio-Oncology 

Consultant and LHCH 

Cancer Lead says: 

“The key to effective 

cardio-oncology care is 

monitoring those 

undergoing 

cancer treatments, 

especially 

when using the most toxic 

chemotherapy drugs.” 

Rebecca goes on: 

“One of the best ways of 

doingthis is using a 

3D Echocardiogram as it 

provides us with the 

accurate measurements 

that are so crucial in 

planning further care.” 

Now, thanks to our wonderful supporters 

and a very generous donation from the 

Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation, we 

have been able to provide Rebecca 

and her Team with the 3D Echo that 

they needed. 

Now the new machine is in operation 

at the clinic and Lady Dodd came to 

visit to see how amazing it actually is. 

Rebecca says: "The whole team is 

absolutely thrilled and we can't thank 

Lady Dodd and LHCH Charity supporters 

enough for everything they do for the hospital 

and especially for supporting the purchase of this new machine.” 

Rebecca goes on: “Not only will this wonderful machine mean that 

we can see more patients but it will also help us develop more 

research into those living with heart disease and cancer, as very 

often these patients miss out in taking part in research trials as they 

are excluded from cardiovascular trials because they have cancer 

and from cancer trials because they have heart disease. So, there is 

a real need for good research which will be key to providing even 

better care in the future.” 

So, a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported us and helped 

us to make lives so much better for people living with heart 

disease and cancer. 



What you’ve been up! 

12 Marathons in a month! 

No-one can say that our Head of Capital 

Projects, Dave MacMillan, is not a 

determined chap! He took on the 

challenge of running 12 marathons 

in a month to help raise funds in 

memory of his friend and colleague 

Gary Theobald who sadly passed 

away in 2023. 

Knitting up a storm! 

In December we held our ever popular 

knit sale which is loved by patients and 

staff alike. The hand crafted items went 

down a storm and there was even an 

exquisite Paddington Bear which was 

raffled. In total the sale raised over £700 

so a huge thank you to all our knitters 

- we think you’re amazing! 

If you would like to get knitting for LHCH Charity 

just let us know as demand for the knit sale just 

gets bigger every year. 

Running through icy blasts, 

pouring rain and even an Autumn 

heatwave, Dave was cheered on 

by friends, family, colleagues and 

even his lovely 11-year-old 

Springer Spaniel, Millie. 

If we wore them, we would take our hats 

off to you Dave, you have been such a 

fantastic supporter and we can’t thank 

you enough for the £6,446 you raised 

towards our Cardiac Output Monitors 

campaign. 

Dave says: 

“Towards the end the 

runs were getting 

longer, and my legs 

were getting heavier 

but the support of 

everyone, especially 

Millie, just kept me 

going!” 

And this year's Challengers include: 

Sean Prendegast is running 50km from John Lennon Airport to 

Southport then on to Formby to support our incredible hospital! 

Justin Baddeley has secured a coveted spot in the London Marathon 

to say thank you to LHCH after his wife underwent successful open 

heart surgery. One marathon isn’t enough for Justin though and he 

has challenged himself to run multiple marathons during the year to 

raise even more funds. 

And finally Tom Hegarty is taking on the mean streets of 

Manchester to say thank you to LHCH for saving his cousin Sophie 

who was successfully treated for a tumour on her lung. 

To help them reach their goals you can visit their Just Giving pages 

by scanning the QR codes below: 

to support Sean 

to support Justin 

to support Tom 



Your donation’s journey 

From you to us – how your donation makes a difference. 

Have you ever wondered what happens to your donation once you have 

sent it to LHCH? Well, we thought you would like to come with us as we 

change your wonderful gift to something that makes a positive 

difference to the lives of our patients and staff every day. 

Let’s begin at the beginning.... 

Arrival - Your donation arrives at our offices, is recorded 

and we thank you. LHCH Charity has a number of funds 

underneath our charity “umbrella” so if you have 

expressed a preference it is placed in the appropriate fund. 

Checking the route - There are enough funds 

available to meet this need and so we ask for an 

Application for Charitable Funds form to be 

completed. 

This is then reviewed by our Chief Finance Officer, or if it is 

over £5,000 by the Executive Team and Charitable Funds 

Committee. Once it’s approved, then the funds are 

released, and the purchase of the item can go ahead. 

Are we there yet? The purchase has been made, 

equipment is ordered, tested by our Medical 

Devices Team and then given to the department 

for use. 

Moving along - In our ACHD Team a member of staff 

notices that some young people who need their heart 

checked but also have learning difficulties find the process 

frightening. So they put their thinking caps on and come up 

with the perfect answer, virtual reality goggles. This is a 

new way of treating patients so they turn to LHCH Charity 

to see if we can help with the cost of purchase. 

Home Safe and Sound - The equipment is now in 

the department and can be used to ease the 

very real distress experienced by young people 

who have grown up, not only with heart disease 

but learning difficulties as well. This makes 

their testing easier for them, is less upsetting 

for their family members and helps us to deliver 

world class care that goes above and beyond 

normal NHS provision. 

All thanks to you, so you see even the 

smallest donation can have an enormous 

impact on people’s lives just by us working 

together to make a difference. 


Spotlight Autumn/Winter 2023- 21

Gift Aid - What’s the story? 

Gift Aid was first introduced over thirty four years ago in the 

Finance Act of 1990 and although it has undergone some 

amendments over the years the basic idea remains the same. 

How a gift in your will can make a 

difference for future generations 

You can help make heart and lung diseases a 

thing of the past by supporting one of our 

legacy programmes 

If people pay UK tax and they 

are donating to charity, then 

the charity can reclaim 25% of 

the value of the donation, at no 

extra cost to the person making 

the gift. So, for example, if 

someone makes a donation of £10, completes a Gift Aid 

Declaration and returns it to the charity then they can claim an 

additional £2.50 – pretty good eh? 

Surprisingly though charities across the UK are missing out on 

approximately, £560 million in Gift Aid payments due to low 

donor uptake every year! 

For those who 

want our 

dedicated staff 

to have the 

latest and best 

equipment 

For those who 

want us to be 

able to provide 

additional 

amenities for 

our patients and 

their families 

For those who 

want to support 

our researchers 

find new ways of 

treating and 

curing heart and 

lung diseases 

For LHCH Charity Gift Aid increases our income by around 

£30,000 each year, but we have over 1,000 donors who have 

never completed the declaration which equates to a further 

£15,000 in lost Gift Aid for us each year. For a small charity like 

us – that’s quite a sum to be missing out on. 

So, if you haven’t already done so, you can complete the 

form at the back of this newsletter. Or, if you would like 

any more information on how Gift Aid works just give us a 

call or drop us an email and we will be happy to help. 

I was so grateful for all the 

time and effort they gave 

to saving my life, it felt like 

it was the least I could do 

to ensure that they can 

continue to help when I 

have gone. Mr B of Merseyside 

Did you know we have a 

FREE Will writing service? 

If you would like to find out more 

contact the Charity Office on 

0151 600 1409 

or email us at 

enquiries@lhchcharity.org.uk 

and we can send you all the 

information you need! 

Quiz Answers 

1.Wimbledon 2.1978 3.Nat King Cole 4.Cruel Summer 5.Fresh Prince 


Spotlight Autumn/Winter 2023 - 23

Your support makes all the difference 

I would like to make a SINGLE donation of 

£5 £10 £20 £50 Other _____ 

Please make all cheques payable to 

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Charity 

Please return this form to: 

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Charity, 

Freepost RRLL-KSHT-ZLKE, Thomas Drive, 

Liverpool L14 3PE 

Your details (Please print) 

Title 

First name 

Surname 

Email 

I give you permission to email me about this donation and to keep me up 

to date with the work of LHCH Charity. 

I would like to make a REGULAR donation of 

Please only use this section if you wish to make a 

monthly regular gift! 

£5 £10 £20 £50 Other _____ 

I would like to the payment to be taken from my 

account on the 1st or 16th of each month starting 

Address 

Postcode 

Telephone No. 

I give you permission to call me about this donation and to keep me 

up to date with the work of LHCH Charity. 

I would like to support the work of 

DD MM YYYY 

Account to be debited 

Bank Name 

Bank Address 

Account name 

Account No. 

Sort code 

Our bank details 

Bank Name 

Bank Address 

Account name 

Sort code 

Account No. 

Natwest Bank 

Natwest Building, Brampton Road 

Newcastle Under Lyme ST5 0QX 

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital 

Charity 

60-70-80 

10034250 

Gift Aid it and make more of your 

donation! 

I want to Gift Aid my donation of £___ 

and any donations I make in the future 

or have made in the past 4 years to the 

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital 

Charity. 

PLEASE TICK ONE BOX ONLY 

I am a UK tax payer and understand 

that if I pay less Income Tax or Capital 

Gains Tax in the current tax year than 

the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all 

my donations it is my responsibility to 

pay any difference 

or 

I am NOT a UK taxpayer 

Signed 

Date 

Keep a copy for your records 

The funds you have donated will be used for the purposes you have indicated. If for any 

unforeseen reason we are unable to complete your request or there are surplus funds, 

we will use the donations for the benefit of the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. 

LHCH Charity values your privacy and we never share your details with outside 

organisations. Your information will only be used to fulfill your request and keep you up to 

date with our activities. If you would prefer not to receive any further communications from 

LHCH Charity please tick this box For a complete statement of our Privacy Policy and 

how we use your data please visit www.lhchcharity.org.uk

Spotlight Spring Summer 2024

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