A Southampton cardiac charity is celebrating the "decades of service" of its team.

Heartbeat, which marked its 30th anniversary last year, has attributed its success to the "wealth of experience" of its team.

Mark Ind, chief executive officer of Heartbeat, said: “The span of decades in our team gives us invaluable wisdom and experience from the older generations, plus the energy, vibrancy and technological know-how from younger team members.

"Having this broad spectrum in the workforce equips us well as a charity – not just now but also for the future."

The charity caters to people of all ages affected by cardiac disease, and its team reflects this age diversity.

One of the youngest members is Patrick McCarthy, a 23-year-old events and corporate fundraising coordinator, who said: "I believe being in my twenties and fresh out of university gives me an open mindset and modern thinking towards ideas on events and new leads."

Tanya Harder, Heartbeat’s community fundraising and marketing manager, is 33 years old.

She said: “It’s vital to have a cross-section of ages among the team.

“Each generation brings its own understanding and their input allows us to spot trends and opportunities.”

The charity's projects include the Rotary Heartbeat House, a 24-bedroom ‘home from home’ that provides respite for families of cardiac patients at University Hospital Southampton.

The house, which costs £87,000 annually to run, is managed by 48-year-old Alison Scholefield.

She said: "I know the inner workings of the house inside out.

"I believe I have become more empathetic and caring compared to when I was younger."

The charity's head of operations, Tina Richardson, head of operations at Heartbeat, has worked for the charity for 25 years.

She said: "I also have vast experience in organising events both large and small."

Meanwhile, her colleague, Tina Tolley, head of business and donor development, is in her 60s.

She said: "No matter how old we are, we learn every day by the experiences we have.

"Working in the ‘Team of Decades’ brings a mix of experience, new ideas, and camaraderie."