Leaving school at 16, I started work for a local architect’s office, before re-training to become a Building Surveyor and then a Chartered Building Engineer. 

In my spare time I used to enjoy playing sport, especially football, and ran a local Sunday morning village team for a number of years. As work became busier and I got older, football then unfortunately became just a spectator sport. I always thought that all the years playing sport would stand me in good stead health wise in future. Imagine my surprise then in 2010 when I took myself to West Suffolk Hospital feeling unwell and was diagnosed as having a heart attack before being blue-lighted to Papworth.

Looking back I remember both the physical and mental effects of recovering from a heart attack, and that is where, first of all the Cardiac Rehabilitation course, and then Upbeat were invaluable to me. Whilst physically I recovered fairly quickly, I struggled mentally coming to terms with what had happened.  

For me the support I gained from others at Upbeat who had experienced a similar event, together with the presence of the cardiac nurses at the exercise classes, was instrumental in helping me regain my confidence.

Having recently read of the need for more members to join the committee, I felt it was time for me to give something back and help Upbeat continue to provide the fantastic service that members need and enjoy.