Home Retail Group (HRG) has been confirmed as The British Heart Foundation's (BHF) biggest ever fundraiser after raising £3m for the charity.
The parent company of Homebase and Argos smashed its original target of £2m, set when the partnership began in July 2008.

Under the campaign theme 'Keeping Hearts Beating', the key aim of the partnership was to help the BHF fund the placing of defibrillators in communities across the UK.

BHF director of fundraising Aneesha Moreira said: "We are delighted that Home Retail Group staff and customers have contributed in helping to raise this fantastic amount for the BHF. Thousands of heart attack and cardiac arrest sufferers throughout the UK will be able to benefit from rapid response treatment thanks to their efforts. To achieve £3m is astonishing and we are extremely grateful to have had their support over the last two years."

Staff and customer fundraising efforts across the company have helped to fund 1,000 new defibrillators, 11 full-time community resuscitation development officer posts and 184 Heartstart schemes which train people in CPR and emergency lifesaving skills.

Fundraising activities included 'Wear Red' days for National Heart Month, fitness challenges and sponsored events. Employees and customers also took part in the BHF's biggest ever stock appeal, The Big Donation, collecting over 37,000 bags of unwanted goods, which raised more than £314,900.

HRG's community affairs and workplace manager Ceri Wootton said: "Argos and Homebase colleagues have shown a great enthusiasm for our BHF fundraising efforts and have made them our biggest ever charity partners. We have thoroughly enjoyed the last two years and are extremely thankful to all our customers for helping to raise such a considerable amount for the BHF."