February marks Heart Month in the UK, an annual campaign led by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease (also called heart and circulatory disease) and encourage people to take steps to protect their heart health.
Heart conditions remain one of the biggest health challenges facing the nation, affecting millions of people and impacting families, workplaces and the NHS.
Keep reading this week’s blog to find out more about these conditions and what you can do this Heart Month to look after your heart and support lifesaving work.
What is cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the general name for conditions that affect your heart or circulation. These include coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, arrhythmias, stroke and vascular dementia. In the UK there are over 8 million people living with CVD, and it remains a leading cause of death, accounting for around a quarter of all deaths each year. On average someone in the UK dies from a heart or circulatory condition every three minutes.
These statistics show both the scale of the issue and the potential impact on individuals, families and wider society. While detailed industry-specific data is limited, we know that certain risk factors associated with CVD – such as smoking, poor diet, stress, air pollution and irregular working hours – are common in people undertaking manual trades and construction-related roles. Raising awareness and encouraging proactive health checks is therefore especially relevant in our industry.
How to protect your heart
Protecting heart health involves a combination of simple lifestyle choices and being prepared in an emergency. The British Heart Foundation and other health organisations promote a range of practical steps that can reduce the risk of heart and circulatory disease.
Everyday heart health
Small changes can make a big difference, for instance:
- Regular physical activity such as brisk walking, cycling or sports can strengthen the heart and improve circulation.
- Eating a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins helps reduce risk factors such as high cholesterol and blood pressure.
- Avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol intake both support long-term heart health.
- Staying hydrated, maintaining a healthy weight and getting good quality sleep all contribute to overall cardiovascular wellbeing.
These habits are well-recognised as effective ways to help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes and are widely encouraged by health professionals across the UK.
Learn lifesaving skills
One of the most impactful things anyone can do during Heart Month is to learn how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Prompt, effective CPR can be the difference between life and death in the event of a cardiac arrest.
Research shows that nearly half of UK adults (43 per cent) have never undertaken any CPR training but having this knowledge, along with understanding how to use a defibrillator, can give someone the best chance of survival in an emergency.
To address this, the British Heart Foundation offers a free online CPR training course called RevivR that couldn’t be simpler to do. All you need is your mobile phone or tablet, a cushion to practice on and, in just 15 minutes, you can develop this lifesaving skill.
Find out more and try RevivR HERE.
Sheriff Construction supports heart month
At Sheriff Construction, we are proud to support Heart Month and the British Heart Foundation’s vital work. We’re promoting the RevivR training to our team and, as part of our Big Charity Challenge, launched last year, we are still raising funds for our three chosen charities – including the BHF, alongside Dementia UK and SOS Silence of Suicide.
We are accepting donations through to the end of March and every contribution helps make a difference. You can support our fundraising challenge HERE.
Final thoughts
Heart Month is an important reminder that heart and circulatory disease affects so many of us, either directly or through someone we know. By adopting healthier habits, learning lifesaving skills and supporting research that powers progress, we can all contribute to a stronger, healthier future.
Have you learnt CPR or taken action to support heart health this year? We’d love to hear your experiences and thoughts so share them with us on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.
04.02.2026
Feature image: Freepik
