Who we are
Why we are here
Welcome to Heartlink and our website!
Have a look round the site to get full details of what we do and our many activities
You can find help and advice about heart disease by clicking the link HERE.
We want you to join us, whether you need help yourself, want to help others or just want to get involved.
Heartlink is a local charity led by heart patients, for heart patients and their families. Based in Southall, Greenford, Hanwell, Ealing, and West London, we provide support and advice to those living with heart conditions, especially those undergoing or recovering from hospital treatment.
While clinical staff focus on medical care, Heartlink offers something equally vital, personal understanding and guidance from those who’ve been through the same journey.
We are deeply committed to raising awareness about heart disease risk factors within the community. By hosting educational workshops, health awareness events, and outreach campaigns, we help individuals identify and address common risks such as high blood pressure, poor diet, smoking, and lack of exercise.
Our goal is to empower people with the knowledge they need to make healthier choices and reduce their chances of developing heart-related conditions.
. Our website is 'heartlink.charity'.
See the 'About us' section for fuller details of us and what we do.
Diet & Your Heart
Another well attended meeting of members and supporters heard an informative and relevant presentation about diet and heart health from one of our key partners. Emmy West is a Cardiac Dietitian at the Cardiac Health And Rehabilitation Services with Imperial NHS Trust, and is based at our local Hanwell Health Centre.
Emmy highlighted four key ways in which diet affects our health, covering cholesterol, blood pressure, protective nutrients and weight.
She took us through which foods are particularly helpful for each of these issues, for example substituting vegetable oils in the place of butter, ghee and coconut oil . She highlighted the difficulty of avoiding too much salt as so much is already in the foods we buy, and we have to be careful to check the details on the labels.
As we know, healthy weight loss is not easy and best achieved by long term lifestyle changes including changes to diet and exercise habits. She warned us about the volume of misinformation about diet that we all encounter, particularly online, and gave us a list of websites which provide good reliable information.
Many attendees had attended the Cardiac Rehab Course in the past but found it very useful to be updated. There were a lot of important and relevant questions from the large audience, which Emmy addressed. We are very grateful to Emmy for giving up her time to give us such a useful talk.
A copy of her full presentation, which Includes all the useful links can be found by clicking HERE.
A video of Emmy giving us her presentation can be seen just below.
Community Spirit & Heart Health at Southall Parkrun
A huge well done to the 150+ runners, joggers and volunteers who joined us early on 28th March at the Southall Parkrun! The crisp, sunny weather set the perfect tone for an incredible turnout that truly celebrated the power of community. There was a real buzz in the air, bolstered by Heartlink providing water bottles to all the runners to ensure everyone stayed hydrated from start to finish. A dozen of our wonderful Heartlink volunteers ran a hugely popular stall with many runners stopping for booklets and a chat.
A highlight of the morning was the unveiling of the new ‘British Heart Foundation Red Bench’ in Southall Park. Dedicated to local runner Bill Lonsdale, the bench encapsulates a personal journey through diagnosis, treatment and recovery, reflecting the reality of living with a heart condition. It serves as a meaningful addition to the park and a powerful reminder of the vital importance of heart health awareness in our community.
The Power of Movement
This event highlighted how vital regular physical activity is for everyone. Whether you are a seasoned runner or a heart health patient, staying active is one of the most effective ways to improve long-term wellbeing. By fostering healthier lifestyles through movement and encouragement, we don't just feel better individually, we also help reduce the long-term pressure on our vital NHS services.
Special Thanks to:
• The Southall Parkrun Team for their warm welcome and partnership.
• Chana Chemist for supplying the electrolytes that kept our participants going strong.
• Kuldeep for the legendary fruit flan—the perfect motivation to cross the finish line!
The Southall Parkrun is a regular event every Saturday starting at 9am in Southall Park next to the Uxbridge Ed.
Thank you for making the morning so special. Let’s keep moving together!
Heartlink Success at Acton and Hanwell Rehab Sessions
Heartlink recently participated in the Imperial Heart Rehab programs held in Acton and Hanwell and we are thrilled to report that both sessions were a resounding success. The events offered a fantastic platform to highlight our ongoing commitment to helping those managing heart conditions and to showcase the vital work Heartlink does within the community.
We are also incredibly grateful to the Imperial College Rehab team for their valuable support and the trust they place in us to be part of these important sessions. This collaboration demonstrates the powerful impact that collective effort can achieve in fostering a positive and motivating environment for all participants.
The turnout was incredibly encouraging with many attendees eager to dive deeper into our initiatives and find ways to get involved. Beyond the clinical aspects of rehabilitation, these gatherings served as a meaningful space for building relationships, sharing mutual support and increasing public awareness. The sense of unity and motivation among everyone present underscored just how much can be accomplished through a shared dedication to cardiovascular health.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers; Sunny, Kuldeep, Mohinder and Isha for their hard work in signing up new members. Their efforts ensure our community stays informed with the latest news and resources. We would also like to recognise Isha, our newest member for her invaluable support at both events. Her contribution made a real difference and together these efforts continue to strengthen the Heartlink community.