Strong at Heart CIC Receives National Lottery Community Fund Support to Grow Community Health Programmes

Strong at Heart CIC is absolutely thrilled to announce that it has received funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, enabling the organisation to grow its work and provide vital additional support to families across the community.

This funding marks a significant milestone for Strong at Heart and will help the organisation expand its mission to support heart families and individuals affected by obesity, diabetes, low income, and poor mental or physical health.

Our Mission

Strong at Heart CIC is dedicated to improving health and wellbeing by:

• Making exercise accessible for families and individuals

• Educating families about healthy eating

• Raising awareness of the warning signs of heart conditions

• Reducing health risks through prevention, education, and inclusive support

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How the Funding Will Be Used

Thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund, Strong at Heart will be able to deliver a wide range of free and subsidised initiatives, including:

• Free and subsidised exercise programmes for families, children, and adults

• Free CPR, First Aid, and CHD awareness training days

• Home-based personal training support for parents and carers who are unable to attend a gym

• Exercise equipment vouchers to support approximately 15 parents/carers with essential home exercise equipment, prioritising families facing financial or access barriers

• Community gym membership incentives offering up to three months of free membership to encourage participation in First Aid, CPR, and awareness events

• Quarterly half-day wellbeing events, supporting families affected by heart conditions across the UK

• The development of flexible and accessible delivery models, including hybrid and online sessions to support families navigating frequent medical appointments and complex care needs

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Specialist Support for Heart Families

The funding will also support a Home-Based Personal Training Programme, benefiting approximately 12 parents/carers across the year. Each participant will receive six trauma-informed, personalised sessions delivered in the home or via a flexible hybrid model.

In addition, Strong at Heart will host four quarterly wellbeing events annually, each designed to support parents and carers through safe exercise education, family-friendly physical activities, healthy lifestyle guidance, and basic first aid information tailored to families affected by heart conditions. Events will be hosted in different locations across the UK to reduce travel barriers and improve accessibility.

Looking Ahead

While Strong at Heart currently operates a women-only gym, plans are underway to introduce male-only or mixed classes in 2026, further expanding access to inclusive fitness opportunities.

“It is a true honour to be selected for this funding,” said Strong at Heart CIC. “We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund and to National Lottery players for making this support possible. We cannot wait to begin supporting even more families on their journey to better health and wellbeing.”

For more information about Strong at Heart CIC and upcoming programmes, please follow us on social media or get in touch directly.

About Strong at Heart CICStrong at Heart CIC is a community interest company committed to supporting families affected by heart conditions and health inequalities through accessible exercise, education, and wellbeing initiatives.

AcknowledgementsThis project is made possible thanks to funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.@thenationallotterycommunityfund