OKEHAMPTON'S MP visited the town's British Heart Foundation shop recently, to learn about how the charity's shops raise £31-million a year for lifesaving medical research. Central Devon MP Mel Stride met with manager Lisa Hill as well as other staff and volunteers on April 26. Mr Stride congratulated the team on their amazing achievement of being named the UK's BHF shop of the Year in 2013, ahead of the charity's 560 other shops across Britain. Mr Stride said: 'Lisa and her team here should be hugely proud of the contribution that they make to raising money to tackle heart disease. £1.3million was raised in Devon last year towards pioneering research and I am full of admiration for the work put in by staff and volunteers here in Okehampton. There is a fantastic team atmosphere in this store.' Lisa Hill said: 'The BHF is the UK's number one heart charity. Coronary heart disease is the UK's single biggest killer but we are leading the fight against it with our pioneering research that is helping to transform the lives of people living with heart and circulatory conditions. 'We appreciate Mel stopping by to show his support for our shop and for encouraging people in and around Okehampton to visit us.' Okehampton's BHF shop is located in Fore Street and every penny of profit raised from the shop goes on to support research into heart disease and to help fund vital local services. The BHF has funded seven defibrillators and one 'Heartstart' group in West Devon and awarded a research grant of more than £21-million to the South West to date. The Okehampton BHF shop sells a huge range of stock including clothes, accessories, CDs, DVDs and shoes. The shop is always in need of stock donations — call 01837 658792 for a free collection.