SCHOOLS and workplaces united to help beat heart disease by wearing red on Friday.

The effort was part of the British Heart Foundation’s national Wear It. Beat It campaign, which was taking place for the fifth year.

The themed day saw pupils, workers and members of the public don their best red garb and raise money for the charity.

Among those contributing was your Adver, which donated 1p from every copy sold to the fund, as well as holding a series of fundraisers in the news and advertising departments, including a cake sale, a raffle, and a bingo session, raising a total of £580.

Alison Adams, the British Heart Foundation’s community fundraising manager for Wiltshire and West Berkshire, said: “It’s massive for us. It’s our biggest fundraising day of the year and it’s really easy for people to get involved.

“We are asking people to hold red-related events. It’s a great way of raising awareness as well as fundraising at the same time.

“This year it’s just got massive. We have had a TV advert, it has been phenomenal.

“We have gone from 8,000 people signing up across the country to 22,000.

“We have just tried to raise the profile whilst reminding people it’s still really important to raise those funds.”

Also taking part were schoolchildren at Moredon Primary School, who created a heart shape out of pennies as part of their activities, which included a visit from a charity representative as well as youngsters wearing red clothes instead of their uniforms.

Headteacher Claire Leach said: “The representative added to it because they were able to actually tell the children why this was all going on the reasons for why they were taking part, rather than just aimlessly taking part.”

Fundraising at the school totalled between £450 and £500.

Youngsters at Rodbourne Cheney Primary School also took part in the effort, with pupils donning red throughout the day.

For more on the British Heart Foundation, log on to www.bhf.org.uk