KIND schoolchildren turned red to raise hundreds of pounds for a health heart charity.
More than 300 youngsters and staff at Highfield Community Primary School, in Ford Estate, came to school dressed in the colour in support of the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) Rock Up in Red day.
And it proved a hugely successful activity, paying £2 each for the privilege and generating £513.15 towards helping fight the UK’s biggest killer illness.
Since 2010 the school raised more than £1,600 for the appeal, which BHF fund-raiser Michael Roper, of Pennywell, hailed as “phenomenal”.
“It’s really gratifying that they have done this, we can’t thank them enough,” said Michael, 62, who has suffered from his own heart problems before since 1996.
“It’s magnificent.”
The cash will now help to provide more BHF nurses, research into pioneering stem cell heart treatments and more live-saving defibrillators in public places.
It will also go towards educating the public on how to have a healthy heart.
Bruce Nicholson, community manager at the school, said: “It’s something that the kids do because it reminds them of how important it is to have a healthy heart.
“People have heart attacks every day and almost everybody is affected by heart disease.”
The Sunderland branch of the BHF, who will be fund-raising at Morrisons in Doxford Park on Thursday and Friday, is also looking for more volunteers.
Those interested in getting involved in group activities should call Michael Roper on 534 2767.
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