About The BCPA


President: Professor John Wallwork CBE, DL, FMedSci
Vice-Presidents: Ben Milstein MA FRCS, Alan Bowcher DMS FFA

Chairman: Keith Jackson
Vice-Chairman & Journal Editor: Dr Richard Maddison
Treasurer: Derek Holley OBE FCA

Trustees: Tony Ward, Janet Jackson, Andrew Steel,
Eddie Coxon, Mary Lyth, Ken Dean, Sally-Ann Douglass



  The British Cardiac Patients Association (BCPA), previously known as “The Zipper Club”, is a non profit making organisation run by volunteers and established to provide support to cardiac patients and their carers.


  The primary aim of our association is to give support, reassurance and advice to cardiac patients, their families and carers.

  Whether it be heart attack, angina, cardiac investigations, arrhythmias, stents, implantable cardiac devices or cardiac surgery for bypass, valve replacement, aneurysm, hole-in-the-heart, heart or heart and lung transplant, we are available to offer free advice and information.

  A further objective is to undertake fund-raising activities to help our local hospitals, and give us the opportunity to say "Thank You" for a better quality of life. We are a Registered Charity, and all our work is purely voluntary.


  Fundraising takes a fairly low priority which tends to occur naturally because members "wish to put something back" for the benefits they have received.

  Over the years substantial help has been given to hospitals with a total of approximately £250,000 being donated in equipment for the benefit of cardiac patients.


  In 1987 The General Hospital Fund was opened and is funded by the Annual Grand Draw. The General Hospital Fund is administered by the Executive Committee who are the trustees of the Association and is used to help Area Groups to purchase equipment for their 'local' hospitals, cardiac units, or cardiac surgery hospitals.

  Over the past 10 years over £75,000 has been used from this fund together with an equal amount from Area Group funds for the purchase a wide variety of cardiac equipment and cardiac patient comforts including infusion pumps, patient chairs, ECG trackers, ECG Monitors, wheelchair, Icemaking machines, pulse Oximeters, Special comfort mattresses and TV.