Ripley’s Museum in London Turns Red for the British Heart Foundation

LONDON, England (Feb. 1, 2010) – Ripley’s Believe It or Not! was a spectacular sight of red tonight as the British Heart Foundation (BHF) launched National Heart Month this February.

The popular London attraction was illuminated red all evening, using the popular central attraction to help raise awareness of the UK’s number one killer – heart and circulatory disease.

Popular London biggest family attraction supports National Heart Month

As part of National Heart Month, the BHF is calling on people to turn red during February and take a stand against the UK’s biggest killer by supporting the charity’s Red for Heart campaign.

Alka Chandolia of Ripley’s London said:  “The team at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is extremely proud to be supporting the British Heart Foundation in this fantastic campaign for the month of February. This is a charity that is close to so many people’s hearts, and we hope our participation will encourage the country to be better informed on ways to improve their health”

Jane Harries, BHF Fundraising Volunteer Manager for the BHF in London added: “This month, the BHF wants to see as many buildings and as many people turning red as possible and I am delighted that Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is supporting us again this year. The popular London attraction is in a wonderful location for lots of people to see it lit up in the colour of the British Heart Foundation, so it highlights our plight and raises awareness of heart disease. We are also grateful to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for supporting the BHF and allowing us to launch the campaign and for supporting the BHF during National Heart Month.”

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London, is aptly located in the heart of London’s West End at No. 1 Piccadilly Circus. The attraction boasts some of the most amazing artefacts from around the globe and is visited by  loyal followers of the late Robert Ripley.

Ripley’s is open daily, 365 days a year,  10 a.m. – Midnight (last entry 10.30 p.m.)

Website: www.ripleyslondon.com

As part of National Heart Month, the BHF has also published a survey which reveals that UK adults are failing to get enough daily exercise with nearly two thirds of people in London (62%) admitting they don’t get their 30 minutes of physical activity a day – the recommended daily amount.

Worryingly over half (53%) of adults are simply ‘too busy’ to exercise and nearly a third (30%) kid themselves about how much daily exercise they do, in order to make themselves feel better.

With 75% considering themselves healthy, yet 96% of people in London confess to having at least one health sin (2), the nation’s heart charity is launching the new heart health online lifestyle check (bhf.org.uk/beat) to help people make the right lifestyles choices and improve their heart health.

The lifestyle check is part of the new national heart health code, the BEAT (Be active, Eat healthily, Avoid smoking and Take the lifestyle check). The online check generates a personalised report with tips and recommendations on people’s lifestyle choices, weight, eating and drinking habits, physical activity levels, emotional health and smoking.

For further information on National Heart Month visit bhf.org.uk/red. Wearing red on Friday, February 26 or posting a Love Note in a BHF Shop window are just a couple of things you can do to get involved this year.

For more information, please contact Maria Sullivan BHF Press Office on 01892 893915 / 07834 434 857 or 07764 290381 (out of hours) or email sullivanm@bhf.org.uk

For more information about Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London, please contact Alka Chandolia on 0207 4946804 or email alka@ripleyslondon.com

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is the nation’s heart charity, dedicated to saving lives through pioneering research, patient care, campaigning for change and by providing vital information. But we urgently need help. We rely on donations of time and money to continue our life-saving work. Because together we can beat heart disease. For more information visit bhf.org.uk/press

About Ripley Entertainment

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London is part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. (www.ripleys.com) family of worldwide attractions, the global leader in location-based entertainment.  More than 13 million people visit its 70-plus attractions in 11 countries each year.  In addition to its 31 Believe It or Not! museums, the Orlando, Florida-based company has publishing, licensing and broadcast divisions that oversee projects including the syndicated Believe It or Not! television show, best-selling books and the popular syndicated cartoon strip, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, that still runs daily in 42 countries. Ripley Entertainment is a Jim Pattison Company, the third-largest privately held company in Canada.