A SOLIHULL heart charity has closed its doors after 26 years as no one wanted to take over the reins.
Solihull Heart Group said it was left with no alternative as getting new committee members or trustee to take over from Mike and Tricia Lines, the chair and vice chair, who are set to retire.
Over the years the group supported more than 1,000 people with heart conditions with their physical and mental health.
The group, which was affiliated to the British Heart Foundation, provided eight special exercise classes a week that formed part of Solihull’s rehabilitation programme.
It also hosted monthly meetings at the Marie Curie Hospice with talks from medical experts.
As a parting gift Mike and Tricia decided to hand over the charity’s remaining funds to charities across the region including Marie Curie Hospice Solihull, Young at Heart, Solihull Stroke Survivors, Diabetes UK Coventry, Solihull Mind, FastAid, URC Solihull, Shelly Farm Community Centre, Personal Exercise company.
The Marsh Lane hospice was handed £2,400.
Mike and Tricia said: “We hope that after providing a platform for heart health in the borough that the community will recognise the importance of keeping active and healthy from childhood to maturity.
“Sincere thanks goes to all our medical professionals who have supported us and given their time so freely and of course our loyal members whose company we have enjoyed over the past 26 years.”
Solihull Heart Group was founded in 1995 on Valentine’s Day by heart patient Mike Lines and his wife Tricia and became a charity in 2017 after losing funding when Primary Care Trusts closed.
The group has left a long-lasting legacy in the borough and represented the UK when it attended the European Heart Forum in Brussels with the British Heart Foundation and gave an outstanding presentation on how to start and run a heart support group.
