Staff at the Dorset Chamber of Commerce have been given a full body MOT just before winter – and are now encouraging others to get on board.
The health-conscious team, based in Poole, invited leading heart charity, Wessex Heartbeat, into its offices for a series of ‘healthy heart checks’ as part of CEO Ian Girling’s new initiative to educate staff on simple health measures they can adapt to improve their lifestyle.
The Wessex Heartbeat “Healthy Heart” campaign is aimed at supporting the health of the community throughout Hampshire, West Sussex, Dorset, Wiltshire and the Channel Islands.
Through a series of workplace visits, the charity is offering important one-on-one health checks for blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and body mass – all important indicators of heart health – as well as testing for Atrial Fibrillation, a heart disorder that can commonly cause strokes.
CEO Ian Girling said: “We have worked with Wessex Heartbeat before and believe that its Healthy Hearts Scheme is crucial for informing staff on the simple measures they can put in place to make a positive impact on their health. Working in an office environment can often lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices, but by making small changes, like switching your mid-morning break chocolate bar with a piece of fruit, can really make an impact.”
John Munro, chief executive at Wessex Heartbeat, added: “The team was brilliant and we’re glad to hear they scored well in their healthy heart checks. High blood pressure and being overweight can lead to heart disease so we’d urge anyone who has any concerns about their own health to contact their GP and consider similar tests.”
To find out more about the charity and heart health or to donate visit www.heartbeat.co.uk