The Vital Signs Foundation (VSF) was formed following the tragic and sudden death of Christopher Haw aged 25.

Chris was a much loved Son, Brother, Grandson and Friend to many people throughout his local community and across the Northwest. He died, aged 25 from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Formation of the VSF

• 2006

  • Chris Haw was an outgoing and very popular 25 year old. He loved music, had a great circle of friends, a really close family and was apparently fit and healthy. But on 3rd June 2006, Chris suddenly passed away due to a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).
  • Vital Signs Foundation (VSF) is a small charity which is making a massive difference in identifying previously undiagnosed heart defects, potentially saving lives in young people aged 16 – 35 from Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
  • It costs VSF £3000 to deliver a FREE professional heart screening. It is a non-invasive, pain-free service headed by a Consultant Cardiologist and specialist team.
  • The first symptom of an undetected heart problem is usually death, as an average of 12 fit and healthy young people die each week. But a simple screening can help to change that and save lives.
  • It is good work and hundreds of young people benefit each year. Better to have a quick and easy screening providing reassurance than the devastation that bereavement causes to family and friends.
  

• 2010

  • Charity set up with 4 trustees – Steve Haw, Mark Cunningham, Lyn Cunningham and Tracey Wilson
  • Launched at Vincent Hotel – "Premier League Enquiry" fundraiser with Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson and the late Howard Kendall.
  • Mark Lawrenson later became a VSF Patron
  • The Jedi Music Festival, a huge fundraiser held in Southport's Victoria Park in August, was a huge success - raising lots of awareness and funds for our charity!
  

• 2011

  • The inaugural Southport Rocks Music Festival took place at Victoria Park - another great success for raising awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in young people!
  • 1st FREE VSF heart screening for young people aged 15-35 took place at Paymentshield HQ, Southport in October
  
• 12 apparently fit and healthy young people aged 35 and under collapse and die EVERY WEEK in the UK from undiagnosed heart conditions.

• 2013

  • Chris Haw Memorial Football Tournament at Southport Football Club in April organised by Southport College and Southport FC
  

• 2014

  • Heart screenings at John Moores University (LJMU) (February) and Goodison Park (EFC) (July)
  • Fundraising Comedy Night with Brendan Riley at the Office Bar Restaurant
  

• 2015

  • Free VSF Heart screenings at Rainhill High School (March), Paymentshield HQ (April), Goodison Park (June) and Scarisbrick Hall School (September)
  • Screened our 1000th person at Goodison Park, Everton
  • Chris Tansey, a much-loved Crosby resident, died in June due to an undiagnosed heart condition
  • Paid for FREE defibrillator to be placed within Scarisbrick Hall School
  • Tony Bennett and Lynn Hedgecoe joined as Trustees
  • Andrew McGarry joined as a Patron
  • Mark and Lyn Cunningham left as trustees to raise their young family and business - huge thanks for all their efforts and support
  • Comedy Night with Brendan Riley
  • Inaugural Christopher Tansey Athlete Cup takes place at Peak Performance in Liverpool
  • Changed name to Vital Signs Foundation (Previously Vital Sounds Foundation)
  • Turley, planning and design consultants in Manchester, chose VSF as their Charity of the Year
  • This year some fantastic people have been raising funds for us which meant we were able to deliver more screening days
  • Community Link Foundation very kindly awarded VSF a funding grant in order to hold a screening day in Southport
  

• 2016

  • Free VSF Heart screenings at Neston Cricket Club (January), Southport College (March), Crosby Lakeside Marina (June), The Kings School Chester (September) and Goodison Park (October)
  • 10 year passing of Christopher Stephen Haw (03.06.06)
  • Fundraising inaugural Golf Day at the prestigious Hillside GC
  • Upton Cricket Club in the Wirral chose VSF as their Charity of the Year
  • Friends and family of the late Chris Tansey raised a phenomenal amount of money in his memory this year
  • Again, lots of generous people have been raising funds for us or making donations – hence the increase in screening days
  • Local company i-Paye Directors Paul Hughes and Sean McGrail hold Charity Golf Day for VSF at Formby Hall Golf Resort
  

• 2017

  • Free VSF Heart Screenings at Garston Community Centre (Feb), Rainhill High School (Apr), Crosby Lakeside (Jun), Christleton High School in Chester (Jul), Everton FC (Oct) and St. Mary's School in Liverpool (Nov)
  • Purchased two ECG machines for use at our screenings, thanks to all donations made and funds raised
  • Increased our age criteria to young people aged 16 to 35
  • Upton Cricket Club chose to continue to raise funds for VSF as their Charity of the Year
  • Laurence Sullivan, already a paramedic within our team, becomes a Trustee
  • Laura Scott and Charlotte Nolan became Ambassadors
  • Pound on the Bill campaign - a great success in December at The Alchemist, Liverpool and in February at Auberge, Bistrot Verite and The Office, Southport
  • Paymentshield, a Southport insurance business, chose VSF as their Charity of the Year and raised a phenomenal amount of money
  • Held our annual Charity Golf Day at Hillside Golf Club for the second year - another huge success thanks to everyone who attended
  • Hemby Charitable Trust very kindly awarded VSF a funding grant
  • The friends and family of the late Chris Tansey raised huge sums of money in his memory this year, allowing us to increase the number of screening days we can deliver
  • Another year of fantastic people generously raising funds in order that we may continue to deliver our life-saving service
  

• 2018

  • Free VSF Heart Screenings at Paymentshield, Southport (Feb), Christleton High School (Apr), Chris Haw Memorial Screening, Southport College (May), Chris Tansey Memorial Screening, Southport (Jun), Everton FC (Oct) and Macdonald Portal Hotel, Tarporley (Nov)
  • Screened our 2000th person at the Chris Haw Memorial Screening in May
  • Upton Cricket Club chose to continue to raise funds for VSF as their Charity of the Year for the third year running
  • Welcomed Sophie Hedgecoe and Gary Dicker as Ambassadors
  • Held our annual Charity Golf Day at Hillside Golf Club for the third year - another huge success thanks to everyone who attended
  • Huge thanks to all our regular supporters who have raised funds for us since the charity began
  • Peak Performance held their annual Christopher Tansey Athlete Cup for the fourth year running in October
  • Absolute Yoga in Crosby held their annual Sponsored Yoga sessions in memory of Chris Tansey in June
  • Pure Business Group held Charity Golf Day for VSF at Huyton & Prescot Golf Club - funds raised were kindly doubled by the Chief Executive
  • Purchased our own Defibrillator and Blood Pressure machines from funds raised and kindly donated
  • A local Trust fund very kindly awarded VSF a funding grant
  • Sophie Hedgecoe and Tom Marsland spent the whole of 2018 undertaking a different challenge every month - from having no alcohol in January to having no meat in May. As part of their fundraising with Upton Cricket Club, they both raised a tremendous amount of money for and vital awareness of our charity!
  

• 2019

  • Free VSF Heart Screenings at St Mary's Church, Upton; Hugh Baird College, Bootle; Chris Haw Memorial Screening, Southport College; Chris Tansey Memorial Screening at St Michael's High School, Crosby; The Life Rooms, Bootle; Eaton Golf Club, Chester; Everton in the Community Hub, Liverpool; Eccleston Medical Centre, St Helens.
  • Held our first midweek screening in July at The Life Rooms in Bootle, Liverpool
  • Upton Cricket Club chose to continue to raise funds for VSF as their Charity of the Year for the fourth year running
  • Held our annual Charity Golf Day, this time at Formby Hall Hotel, Golf Club and Spa - what an outstanding success that was! The sun really shone on that day!
  • During February Heart Month local restaurants and bars local to Southport and Tarporley got behind our £ on the Bill campaign and raised lots of money
  • Huge thanks, yet again, to all our regular supporters who have raised funds for us since the charity began
  • Peak Performance in Liverpool held their annual Christopher Tansey Athlete Cup in memory of their great friend
  • Absolute Yoga in Crosby held their annual Sponsored Yoga sessions in memory of Chris Tansey in June
  • AFC Liverpool became fundraisers in order to fund a screening in the memory of their late manager Ben Williams
  • Vinny Cassidy, Gareth Clarke and all the great guys and girls at Rainhill United JFC have continued to raise awareness and funds for us this year
  • Longthorne Gunmakers chose us as their Charity of the Year for the next two years and been busy raising awareness and funds of our charity
  • Roy Claxton chose VSF as his Charity of the Year for his year as Captain at Eaton Golf Club in Chester and raised a phenomenal amount of money!
  • Ursula Keyes Trust, Chester very kindly awarded VSF a funding grant
  • Southport Hesketh Round Table made a very generous donation to our charity
  • Premier Wealth Management based in Southport took on the Hadrians Wall Challenge and raised a huge amount of money for VSF
  

• 2020

  • To date, we have held FREE VSF heart screenings at The Buy to Let Brokers Offices, Southport in January; St Mary's Church, Upton in March;
  • All future VSF heart screenings are put on hold at the end of March due to the outbreak of Covid 19
  • Our very own Lynn Hedgecoe took on the 2 point 6 Challenge and, to date, has raised over £4000!
  • The Buy to Let Brokers based in Southport took on their 1000 mile challenge and raised enough money to fund a heart screening in their local community!