STUDENTS from Coleg Ceredigion helped British Heart Foundation Cymru’s lifesaving research by organising an event in memory of their colleague who tragically passed away from a heart condition.

Clive Lloyd from Llandysul, a mature student on the Level 2 Diploma in IT course, suffered a heart condition and died last November.

The students on his course were devastated by this and wanted to hold an event in memory of their much loved colleague.

They arranged a sponsored head shave, with the help of the Academi Steil Hairdressing department at the College, and raised over £175 for the nation’s heart charity.

Marion Phillips, lecturer at the college, said: “The students wanted to do something special in memory of Clive and decided to hold their ‘Shave to Save’ sponsored head shave event. I’d like to congratulate the group and also thank all the staff and students who supported us in raising money for this worthy cause.”

Each day in Wales, 25 people lose their lives to cardiovascular disease, which can devastate those they leave behind.

Thanks to people like this group of students, BHF Cymru is funding pioneering research, central to discovering vital treatments for people living with these conditions.

Jayne Lewis, BHF fundraising manager for South West Wales, said: “I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff and students at the college for holding an event in memory of their well-loved colleague Clive and raising funds for BHF Cymru.

“Too many lives are lost in Wales each year, and we’re determined to do everything we can to protect more families from this devastation. Around 375,000 people across Wales this month are fighting a daily battle with heart and circulatory disease.

“These devastating conditions claim the lives of more than 750 people per month in Wales alone and thanks to the local groups and organisations in the area we’ll be able to fund even more research into these conditions.”

See the story in this week’s south edition