Mark Latter, who was CEO of Guernsey Cricket for 15 years, said that it was a charity, which relies wholly on donations, that was close to his heart.
‘My father died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 67 shortly after retiring,’ he said. ‘I have two brothers and the three of us regularly get our heart health checked as a result.
‘Having worked with sports enthusiasts for many years, many of whom don’t always visit their GP, being able to do my bit and help raise awareness of a such a worthy cause feels like completely the right thing to do.’
He began the new role in April and has been getting to grips with it.
‘I came in and found out all about Guernsey Chest and Heart, most of which I didn’t know, or had completely the wrong end of the stick,’ said Mr Latter.
‘I met the team and was bowled over by the enthusiasm, professionalism and passion that they’ve got for what they do here.
‘My job is to create the fundraising activities alongside those that are already in place to ensure they’ve got the funds to do that job now and into the future.’
The charity’s expenses include staffing, equipment and day-to-day running costs.
Mr Latter said he aimed to focus on building long-term fundraising strategies for the charity.
‘It’ll be about building something sustainable that fits the profile of what Chest and Heart is about,’ he said.
‘This is a several hundred-thousand pound annual business and costs generally don’t go down. It’s a case of building events across the course of the year that will sit in the calendar as regular events for people.’
He said that about 40% of people who pass through for check-ups have some sort of intervention required.
And the charity can further prove its value with early intervention and detection proving to be much cheaper than medical treatment at a later stage.
Guernsey Chest and Heart is also looking for volunteers to help out with fundraising.
‘My father dying made me reassess my own life choices and so I left a well-paid role in the finance sector and took on the role at Guernsey Cricket to satisfy two passions, sport and giving back to the community,’ said Mr Latter.
‘I hope that I can continue to make a positive contribution to the community through my new role at Guernsey Chest and Heart.’
People are recalled for a follow-up screening every five years. Appointments can be made by calling the centre on 01481 237261.
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