Pauline Quirke Academy in Windsor raises thousands to deliver heart screenings

A performing arts academy in Windsor has raised more than £10,000 to help deliver heart screening days for the local community in partnership with a national charity.

For the last three years, The Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA) in Windsor has been raising money to host the screening days in partnership with charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).

Through its efforts, the academy has now raised more than £10,000 and will host a free screening event at St Edwards Middle School for 100 local people aged 14 to 35 on Saturday, January 10 and Sunday, January 11.

The initiative has been established in memory of Matt Beadle, who was a close friend of academy Principal Sarah Riches.

Mr Beadle passed away 13 years ago at the age of 32 following a sudden cardiac arrest in his sleep.

With routine cardiac health checks only offered to adults aged 40 to 74 every five years, the academy is hoping to raise awareness of undiagnosed heart conditions in young people.

Mr Beadle’s parents, who are now in their eighties, have been an ‘integral part’ of the fundraising journey.

Over the last three years students and their families have been fundraising through monthly concerts, raffles, shows and bake sales.

The team also climbed Mount Snowden in June to help reach their total.

Sarah Riches, principal of PQA Windsor, said: “Cardiac Risk in the Young is a charity close to my heart, as they helped me and many others when we lost our friend, Matt, to an undiagnosed heart condition.

“I didn’t want any of my students and their families to go through what we did, so three years ago, we started fundraising to raise enough to run a heart screening day for the local community.” 

She added: “The commitment from our students and their families has been extraordinary.

“From shows to mufti days, to climbing Mount Snowdon, our PQA Windsor family has truly come together.

“I’m so grateful for every single contribution, and I hope these screenings will help save lives.”

The Windsor Lions Club has also been supporting the project by providing car parking facilities for the screening event and fundraising for the second day of screenings on Sunday.

Dr Steven Cox, CEO of CRY, said: “Every week, 12 apparently fit and healthy young (aged 35 and under) people in the UK die suddenly from a previously undiagnosed heart condition.

“In 80 [per cent] of these cases, there will have been no signs or symptoms of a heart defect until it is too late, which is why CRY believes screening is so vitally important.

“As CRY receives no government funding, our UK-wide screening programme is only possible because of the backing it receives from families, friends and communities.

“For the past 30 years, CRY has been supported by those who’ve been affected by young sudden cardiac death.

“In addition to our pioneering screening programme, it also funds a world-renowned research centre in London and a unique, nationwide Bereavement Support network.

“These services are vital and I’d like to give a huge thank you to everyone involved with PQA Windsor who worked so hard to raise so much money in memory of Matt.”

The event is fully booked and will see 100 people take part in the heart screening to raise awareness of Cardiac Risk in the Young.