Croydon will be officially appointed a 'Heart Town' this week as it signs up to fight Britain's biggest killer.

The borough will become the ninth in London to link up with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to launch a two-year campaign promoting healthy living in schools and workplaces.

Heart disease causes a third of deaths in Croydon.

The Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Yvette Hopley, will formally kick off the scheme the Croydon BID Big Get Fit Together in North End on Saturday.

An action-packed weekend will see professionally supervised dance and exercise classes, along with wall climbing and the Crystal Palace FC Foundation Speed Strike Challenge on offer from 10am until 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The BHF will on-hand to offer top tips on keeping your heart tip-top. 

Councillor Margaret Mead, cabinet member for adult services and health, said: "This is a fantastic initiative that will raise awareness in Croydon of heart disease.

“However there are steps people can take to reduce the risk of this, which by becoming a Heart Town, we hope to make people aware of.

"Over the next two years, we will be encouraging as many workplaces and schools as possible to get involved and to drive this ever important message home."

Chief executive of Croydon BID, Matthew Sims, said: "We are thrilled to be associated with Croydon’s Heart Town initiative and its launch by the Mayor at the opening of our BIG Get Fit Together event.

“Safeguarding the physical well-being of employees, visitors and residents alike is in all our interests.

“Croydon BID is happy to play its part by promoting the fantastic range of services and facilities available in the borough."

Joanne Howe, fundraising volunteer manager for the British Heart Foundation in Croydon, said: “We are delighted to be linking up with Croydon and helping to push the heart health message across the borough.

“Too many people still die prematurely from heart disease and we want to generate awareness for local people to know how they can look after their own hearts.

“We hope to have many events across Croydon in the coming year and help raise money to support our life saving work."

To find out how to get involved, call Joanne Howe at the BHF on 07711 195746 or email howej@bhf.org.uk