Derry to light up red for NI Chest Heart & Stroke

Leading local health charity Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke (NICHS) will be lighting up the town red this February to mark National Heart Month and the charity’s annual Red Dress Fun Run.

The Red Dress Fun Run, supported by MACE and Musgrave Marketplace, is the charity’s five kilometre run or walk event which aims to raise funds and awareness for heart disease.

The event coincides with National Heart Month in February, when NICHS will be encouraging people to think about their cardiovascular health and the steps they can take towards a healthier, stronger heart, such as eating healthily and getting active.

Derry City and Strabane Council will show their support for the charity by lighting up civic buildings in red, NICHS’s brand colour, tomorrow (Wednesday 1st February).

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy, said: “I am pleased that the Council is supporting NI Chest Heart & Stroke by lighting up its civic buildings red.

"Sadly, four people in Northern Ireland die every day from heart disease, and coronary heart disease is the biggest single cause of premature deaths in the under 75s.

"I would encourage you all to take part in the Red Dress Fun Run event taking place during National Heart Month. It is so important that as a community we raise support and awareness to help reduce these staggering figures.”

Last year the charity hosted their biggest and most successful Red Dress Fun Run to date, with just under 600 participants coming together at the event at Stormont, as well as the virtual version which saw participants taking part in their local area and raising a staggering £50,000 to help combat heart disease.

The same format remains for 2023, allowing people who can’t make it to the main event to complete 5K their way during the month of February.

Tara Currie, Events and Marketing Manager at NICHS, is urging the public to sign up to the event saying: “We are so grateful for the support of Councillor Sandra Duffy as we look forward to this year’s Red Dress Fun Run. 

"Today, there are over 335,000 people living with a chest, heart or stroke condition in Northern Ireland - many of these people will live in the Derry City and Strabane area. Please support us by running, walking, dancing, skipping or wheeling 5K with us on Sunday 26th February at 11am at Stormont Estate, or, if you can’t make the live event you can do 5K your way any day, or days, in February.

Red Dress Fun Run Red-y . . . (L-R) Diane, Tara, Lisa, Spider-Man and Iggy- L to R: Diane Anthony, Musgrave, Tara Currie, NICHS, Lisa Andrews, Musgrave MarketPlace, Spider-Man and Iggy the dog.

"Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the fun - even the family pooch!”

The charity will once again partner with MACE for the 2023 event and is also delighted to welcome sister company Musgrave MarketPlace as a supporter. Diane Anthony from Musgrave says; “MACE and Musgrave MarketPlace are both backing NICHS’s call for people to dress up in red and wear their heart on their sleeve at this year’s event, which is set to be fantastic.

"Whether you’re taking part in memory of someone you have lost to heart disease, celebrating someone who is living with a heart condition, or to prevent heart disease happening to someone in the future – sign up and join us to support this worthy cause!”

Primary school pupils are also invited to join in by hosting their own fun run anytime this February. Each school that takes part will receive a certificate of thanks to show how much they raised and there is an opportunity to win some fantastic prizes. 

If you have been inspired to step up to the challenge, you can sign up to the Red Dress Fun Run at www.nichs.org.uk/ RedDressFunRun. You can find out more about getting your primary school involved at www.nichs.org.uk/PSRedDressFunRun.