Everton legend turns Heartbeat hero in mammoth charity challenge

Everton's legendary former kit man Jimmy Martin is setting out on a mammoth fundraiser this morning in aid of the Lancashire charity that's supported him following his heart attack.

Much loved in the football community; Jimmy's health forced him to leave the club last year, aged 74, after decades of service. Now he says he's 'fit as a fiddle' and ready to take on a 32 mile walking challenge following a rehabilitation programme at Heartbeat in Preston.

The charity is the North West's leading cardiac rehab and prevention centre which supports around 1,000 people from across the region currently living with a heart condition. Earlier this year we told you the charity, which is entirely self-funded, has entered a financial crisis owing to the rising cost of living.

Heartbeat has been operating in the North West for more than 40 years but bosses say the future is uncertain unless they can plug a £100,000 deficit in the budget.

As such, 'Jimmy's Journey' has deliberately set the fundraising target at £100,000 and the challenge will see him walking, alongside a team of fundraisers, from Heartbeat's base at Preston North End's Deepdale Stadium to his old stomping ground at Goodison Park. Setting off at 10am today (4th October), the team will take an overnight break at the halfway point, before plodding on to arrive at Goodison in time for Everton's game against Newcastle on Sunday.

Jimmy said: "This means the world to me really, because I was in a bit of a state when I first came to Heartbeat but now I'm a different person altogether. My wife has spotted that - we go out walking together now and I would never ever have done that before. Now I'm doing lots of walking, lots of exercises and I've been great. And I'm so happy that this fantastic club that I worked for, for 34 years has come and helped me out with it."

On the walk itself, Jimmy told us it's going to be a great couple of days: "I'm looking forward to it. It's a long way. I've never walked that far in my life, but I'm hoping I do finish it. I know I will, because I'm the kind of person to make sure that I will. We've got some good people from Everton taking part, some good people from Heartbeat and it's going to be great."

Sally Seed is the charity's corporate fundraiser and says Jimmy's efforts have the potential to turnaround the charity's fortunes: "If we manage to reach the target then we're going to bring Heartbeat out of a deficit - which is fantastic because we have been in a financial crisis this year mainly because of the cost of living. We get no government funding, no NHS funding, and we're not affiliated or associated with the British Heart Foundation. So being totally self-funded, it has been a massive challenge this year, especially with the cost of living crisis."

If you would like to donate to Jimmy's Journey you can do so here.

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