Musgrave NI supports 2370 people through local charity services

Musgrave NI supports 2370 people through local charity services
Press Eye/Darren Kidd

Musgrave NI has raised £151,733 in less than three years for leading local health charity, Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke (NICHS).

The amount, raised by both Mace and Musgrave MarketPlace, enables the charity to support a staggering 2,370 chest, heart and stroke survivors through its free regional services.

Judith Robinson from Belfast who recently attended the charity’s Post Rehab Exercise Programme (PREP) which combines rehabilitation with education about living with a stroke, explained how important it was for her, “I loved PREP. It helped me realise I can still do exercise despite my disabilities. It also helped me get back to living independently, which is very important to me, as I live by myself.”

Mace is right at the heart of local communities with over 80 stores across Northern Ireland and Musgrave MarketPlace has three regional branches in Derry/Londonderry, Lurgan and Belfast so the link with the local charity was an obvious one. NICHS also has a network of support co-ordinators and free support groups throughout the Province, including its PREP programme which runs at 11 different venues from Newry to Derry/Londonderry and Enniskillen to Coleraine.

As well as raising money to support local people affected by chest, heart and stroke conditions, Maceand Musgrave MarketPlace have also supported their own employees by working with NICHS to create a health and well-being strategy for their staff.

Declan Cunnane, chief executive of Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke commented: “Across Northern Ireland there are over 335,000 people living with a chest, heart or stroke condition. We offer practical and emotional support to individuals and families affected by these illnesses at what can be a difficult time in their lives. Over 80 percent of our work is funded by the public. We are extremely grateful to Musgrave NI staff, MACE retailers and customers for raising these vital funds to support our services.”

If you would like any further information on NICHS’s support services, health and wellbeing packages or partnerships please contact them Sinead Lynch, corporate partnerships manager, slynch@nichs.orh.uk or call 028 9026 6700.

Featured image caption – (L-R): Diane Anthony, Mace assistant brand manager; Alastair Patterson Mace regional manager; Declan Cunnane, NICHS chief executive, Sinead Lynch, NICHS corporate partnership manager