Graeme Souness, the well-known football analyst and patron of the Bournemouth Heart Club has teamed up with 30 heart club members for a sponsored 10-hour non-stop cycle ride. The Heart to Heart ride aims to fund 20 places at the BHC Keep Well Hub for people on low income who must to exercise to improve their health conditions but cannot afford a regular gym membership due to the cost of living crisis.

Graeme, who himself underwent open heart by-pass surgery in 1992 at the age of 38 whilst managing Liverpool FC, said: “Regular exercise provides both immediate and long-lasting benefits. It improves cardiovascular health, reduces cholesterol and lowers blood pressure. “It also reduces the risk of developing other serious health conditions like diabetes and can help with dementia and depression”.
Originally established for cardiac rehabilitation, today the Bournemouth Heart Club welcomes patients with other conditions such as diabetes, stroke (TIA), COPD and, more recently, long covid. It is currently running specialist classes for patients with intermittent claudication, which occurs when blocked or narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the legs.
And new execrcie classes for diabetes rehabilitation are commencing at the heart club.
Patients can be referred to the Bournemouth Heart Club by their doctor, Health Care practitioner, or social prescriber. Also, patients can self-refer subject to meeting the relevant health criteria.

Sam Panton, the exercise manager at the Bournemouth Heart Club, has devised much of the Keep Well programme, which includes an up-front clinical assessment; a 20-session course and an end of course review. On completion, patients are encouraged to become full members of the Bournemouth Heart Club and continue to improve their health.
BHC has two fully equipped gymnasiums and a staff of highly-trained exercise instructors, all of whom hold the British Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Level 4 accreditation. This ensures members of all abilities are able to exercise at their own level in a very safe environment.
There is a choice of classes throughout the day from Monday to Saturday ranging from circuits and group exercise to open gym sessions, seated classes for people with mobility issues and online Zoom classes.
The heart club is located on the site of Royal Bournemouth Hospital and has its own members car park.
Call the club on 0300 019 4522.
bournemouth-heart-club.org.uk/the-keep-well-scheme.