When 10-year-old Dylan Dolan officially starts the Mansfield Walk in the Park event in aid of the British Heart Foundation, it will be a proud moment for him and his family after the youngster underwent life-saving surgery when he was just a few weeks old.

The fund-raising event, organised for the first time, by Mansfield District Council in association with the heart disease charity, will take place on Sunday 12 July 2015 at 10am.

A five-mile sponsored walk starts and finishes in Titchfield Park and passes through three of the district’s Local Nature Reserves (LNRs). It is suitable for families and people of all ages – even the family dog is welcome if kept on a lead.

There is also a mile-long walk around Titchfield Park thatmay be more suitable for people who are just starting to exercise, have mobility issues or very young children.

The walk will be officially started by young Dylan Dolan, who was born with a hole in his heart. The potentially life-threatening condition was corrected by heart surgery carried out when he was just four months old. He is now completely recovered and only has the occasional check-up in hospital to monitor his health.

His mother, Sioned Dolan, community engagement officer for Mansfield District Council, has since been a tireless supporter and fund-raiser for the British Heart Foundation.

She said: “We really appreciated the support offered to us at that difficult time by the BHF and this is our and Dylan’s way to give something back.”

Sioned has since played an active part in the Mansfield BHF funding group and helped to organise Walk in the Park.

Coun Andrew Tristram, Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “What better way to spend a Sunday morning than to have a healthy walk in the park with your family and friends?

“The event is a great way to improve fitness, explore the wonderful parks and nature reserves on Mansfield’s doorstep and raise money for a good cause. Sign up today!”

Sponsorship will go to the BHF which funds ground-breaking research into heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease is responsible for around 160,000 deaths in the UK each year, that’s 440 people each day, or one death every three minutes.

Over 30,000 cardiac arrests happen out of hospital every year with 80% of these happening at home, sometimes in front of families and loved ones. Currently in the UK, fewer than one in ten people survive. The BHF’s ambition is to create a Nation of Lifesavers in which all schools teach CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and where defibrillators are made available in the places they are needed most.

More details about the walk, online registration forms and sponsorship forms can be found on the Mansfield District Council website at www.mansfield.gov.uk/walkinthepark