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British Heart foundation walk

Last updated at 12:09, Monday, 28 September 2009

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THE driving force behind the British Heart Foundation’s most successful charity walk had to miss this weekend’s annual event – because he has suffered a mild heart attack.

And Ray Short was actually being treated at Furness General Hospital with a machine that the walk helped to fund.

Mr Stephen Layden, the BHF Fund-raising Manager for the North Region, paid a glowing tribute to the Furness and district branch chairman in Barrow yesterday.

He told The Evening Mail that 62-year-old Mr Short had helped make the walk the leading event of its kind in the country.

Mr Layden said: “Ray is our best supporter and volunteer throughout the whole region with the large number of events and talks he gives.

“Last year the Furness branch raised £46,000 which was only just surpassed by Newcastle.

“Ray started the walk seven years ago and it has built up to be the best walk in the whole of the UK, both in terms of numbers involved and money raised, a staggering £14,500 last year.

“People in the Barrow and Furness areas are very supportive of charity events.

“One of the main groups that has raised money has been ‘Team Dennis” through the efforts of Pat Sharp (widow of former Evening Mail photograhper Dennis Sharp).

“Put together with a grant from the British Heart Foundation, we purchased the £36,000 life-saving mobile echo cardiogram for Furness General Hospital.”

Mr Layden said that, unfortunately, Mr Short had suffered a mild heart attack last weekend.

He said: “Ray was a heart patient hence his interest in the British Heart Foundation.

“He had a quadruple by-pass 12 years ago which was very successful.

“Last weekend he suffered a mild heart attack and was scanned on the piece of equipment that our walk and “Team Dennis” money provided for him.

“Doctor Mohammed from Furness General looked after him and as he was recipient of the piece of equipment. It was quite fitting in a sense.

“Ray is now going to Victoria Hospital in Blackpool for an angiogram which explores exactly what’s wrong with him.

“We all hope to see Ray fit and well very soon.

“It is tribute to his efforts that so many people turned out today on the walk he has organised and wish him well for the future.”

Mrs Marjorie Short, wife of the branch chairman, was present at the Dock Museum yesterday as just over 200 walkers. young and old, took part in the event.

She said: “The first year it attracted 35 and last year a record-breaking 250.

“We expected the recession to bite this year but it still an excellent turnout.”

Mrs Short said the committee would like to thank all the supporters including Furness Building Society and Sodexho Cafe.

The walkers were equally divided between those doing the five-mile Walney and 12-mile Barrow loops with a handful managing both.

The latter group included 14-year-old St Bernard’s School pupils, Jade Connolly, of Dudley Street, Barrow and Caitlin Mulgrew, of Gleaston.

They had seen the walk sponsorship form when going into the BHF shop in Barrow to see a friend who is a voluntary worker.

Jade said: “We thought it would be good to do it for charity, have a bit of a laugh and get fit at the same time.

Caitlin said: “We ran some of the way and now want to do the Keswick to Barrow walk for the first time.”

There was also friendly rivalry on the walk between two teams of Weightwatchers led by Sue Park, of Millom, and Kath McFadyen, of Barrow.

Mrs Park – whose father died of a heart attack – says the event has always been blessed with good weather.

But whether her team, “WeightWatchers Winners”, retains the trophy for most money raised will not be revealed until the awards evening in early December.