County Durham post boxes decorated with heart themed toppers

Knitters and crocheters across the region have been busy creating beautiful box toppers to raise awareness for the charity and encourage people to learn CPR.

The creations have been pictured across the region, including in Northallerton, Consett and Blackhill. 

(Image: BHF) Nicki Hall, a postie from Northallerton delivery office in North Yorkshire, helped coordinate the heart-themed toppers with the help of groups of the infamous Yarn Bombers from around the UK.

She said: “We are thrilled to support the British Heart Foundation’s Heart Month with our knitted heart-themed post box toppers for the second year running.  

(Image: BHF) “Knitting might not be your average past time, but we hope our ‘heart’ work serves as a visual reminder of the impact of heart and circulatory disease across the UK and adds a touch of warmth and awareness this Heart Month, encouraging people to support the British Heart Foundation any way they can in February and beyond.”

The post box toppers also serve as a reminder that this February the BHF is urging the public to keep hearts beating this Heart Month by learning CPR. 

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Each year in the UK there are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, but sadly less than one in ten people survive. Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chances of survival.  

The BHF’s free online tool RevivR teaches lifesaving CPR skills in 15 minutes, using just a mobile phone or tablet and a cushion. 

Teresa Hicks, director of corporate and community fundraising at the British Heart Foundation said: “Thanks to the dedication of Royal Mail colleagues and their commitment to fundraising for the BHF, we have already been able to help communities, schools and colleagues all over the UK.  

“This is only the tip of the post box, and I know both Royal Mail and BHF remain dedicated to spreading awareness about heart health, learning CPR and empowering individuals to protect their hearts, the hearts of their loved ones and those in their community. 

“Needleless to say, whether you are knitting hearts for post box toppers, raising heartfelt funds like our Royal Mail colleagues or learning lifesaving CPR, we can all do our bit to help keep hearts beating this Heart Month.”  

The nation’s postal service will be applying a special postmark to stamped mail for Heart Month. The postmark will read: Learn lifesaving CPR with RevivR find out more at bhf.org.uk/revivr and began running on 1 February to help us mark the start of Heart Month.