A READING University professor has set his heart on cycling 40 miles for charity next month.

Prof. Jonathan Gibbins, a British Heart Foundation (BHF) funded researcher, has signed up for the London to Reading Bike Ride to raise valuable funds for the charity.

Joining 1,200 other cyclists who will take to the roads on March 24, Prof. Gibbins, who is currently researching new blood-clotting treatments to prevent people from having a heart attack or stroke, said he is looking forward to taking on the challenge.

He said: “I am really proud to be taking part in the London to Reading Bike Ride which is on the doorstep of my lab. My research could not happen without the funds that come in from the amazing cyclists who take on this challenge. I would encourage everyone to dust their bikes off and take on those 40 miles with the BHF Events Team.

“Around 17,500 people are currently living with heart and circulatory disease in Reading and it is responsible for over 250 deaths each year. We urgently need the people of Reading to help us stop heart disease in its tracks and support us in our search for more lifesaving breakthroughs.”

Last year, participants managed to raise more than £175,000 for the charity, which has been pumped back into research into circulatory disease, which is the cause of more than a quarter of UK deaths every year.

Maxine Bateman, Event Organiser at the BHF, said: “Challenging yourself to the London to Reading Bike Ride is a fantastic way to support the nation’s heart charity, save lives and improve your own heart health at the same time.

“By taking on this exciting challenge, every step you take will be helping bring us closer to beating heart disease for good. Our research has already helped halve death rates from heart and circulatory disease over the past 50 years, but there is still so much more to be done.”
 

To sign up for the event, visit www.bhf.org.uk/londontoreading.