The Rotary Club of Cirencester has presented a cheque to the cardiac rehabilitation team to enable them to purchase additional equipment for their exercise sessions.

Ran by the Gloucestershire NHS Trust, there is no charge for the service.

Three qualified helpers from the service run the course and give talks on diet and exercise together with general information.

Patients who have had a heart event are offered a comprehensive course of six sessions within the local community.

Sessions generally last for two hours during which exercise is taken.

Carol Norman, a cardiac rehabilitation specialist nurse said: “This generous donation from Cirencester Rotary Club has helped us to purchase extra equipment for the service which will enable attendees to vary their exercise with different apparatus.”

Rotarian Yvonne Binks, who presented the cheque explained: “At Cirencester Rotary we are proud to raise a great deal of money for local and international charities.

"When we decide to distribute such funds we want to make sure it benefits worthy causes and in this case we are pleased to be supporting such a worthwhile cause doing such important work in our own community here in Cirencester."

Yvonne ran the Bournemouth Marathon to raise funds for the project and for the Cardiac Unit at Cheltenham Hospital.

She raised £1600 in total.