THE British Heart Foundation (BHF) is asking your readers to nominate their Heart Hero for our Heart Hero Awards 2017.

The four categories this year are:

• Inspiration award

• Fighting spirit award

• Young hero award

• Heart health professional award

These awards recognise and celebrate the exceptional contribution of our supporters, fundraisers, volunteers and partners who have made an exceptional contribution to our fight for every heartbeat.

Last year’s winners included four-year old Ellie Payne who raised over £24,000 for the BHF and Jenny Kumar who joined friends to organise a photography exhibition in which heart patients proudly show their scars.

Since the BHF was established the annual number of deaths from heart and circulatory disease in the UK has fallen by half.

In the 1960s more than seven out of 10 heart attacks in the UK were fatal. Today at least seven out of 10 people survive – and as a result of the improvements, today and every day 200 more people will survive a heart attack in the UK alone.

We are asking readers to nominate their Heart Hero, so that we can celebrate their achievements in helping us to eradicate this devastating disease.

To find out more and to sign up, go to our website www.bhf.org.uk/heartheroes

Simon Gillespie, Chief executive, British Heart Foundation