BBNI launches charity partnership with Children’s Heartbeat Trust

We are delighted to be partnering with Children’s Heartbeat Trust as our Charity of the Year! Children’s Heartbeat Trust supports children and young people with heart disease, and their families, to live full and empowered lives.

In launching the charity partnership, Lisa Keys, Chief Officer of BBNI said:

“We are so pleased that our BB companies get involved each year in supporting another charity and Children’s Heartbeat Trust is a brilliant choice as it supports children and young people with heart disease. Our BB companies will support this charity through fundraisers, competitions, and sponsored events. To launch our support, it was lovely to be able to involve a member of 2nd Kilkeel Anchors that has experienced firsthand the support of Children’s Heartbeat Trust.’

Charlie Wallace’s family told us “We were first introduced to the Children’s Heartbeat Trust charity (CHT) in June 2019, when Charlie, aged 6 months old was diagnosed with a heart condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy. Within a few hours of diagnosis, a member of the CHT team introduced themselves and informed us that they would be there to support us.

As we lived quite a distance from the hospital, CHT were able to offer us onsite accommodation which was invaluable to us as this meant either myself or my wife was able to stay at the hospital 24/7.

Due to the severity of Charlie’s condition, we were required to spend a long period of time in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children and then later in Great Ormonde Street Hospital. During this time, CHT, along with another local heart charity provided financial and emotional support which we really appreciated.

Over the past few years CHT have introduced us to many heart families, including those from our local area. Having friends who are dealing with similar situations has been a great support to us.

We are forever thankful for all the support that CHT has given to us as a family.”

Joanne McCallister, Chief executive of Children’s Heartbeat Trust said: “Children’s Heartbeat Trust (CHT) is thrilled to have the support of The Northern Ireland Boys’ Brigade for the incoming year. We are excited to work alongside all the BB companies and support their fundraising efforts.

Each year in NI another 200 children are born with some form of congenital heart disease, CHT is there to provide support for these children and their families, emotionally, socially and financially through our youth and family support programmes.

The funds raised by BBNI will help ensure we can continue to provide this vital support to heart families across NI during the most challenging of times.”