A TEACHER has raised over £150k for good causes after suffering a heart attack.

Bob Sutcliffe was struggling to recover from a heart attack in 2017, then his brother gave him a set of watercolour paints and it changed his life.

Mr Sutcliffe was diagnosed with epilepsy at 36, and was able to control his seizures, but the heart attacks brought back another period of illness.

He said: “I was at a pretty low ebb in my life, painting saved me, it occupied my mind and gave me the chance to recover and discover I had a skill.

"My brother gave more than a set of paints that day, he gave me back my life and I’m determined to make a difference with that gift.”

Mr Sutcliffe started to paint commissions for friends and had the idea to turn some of these commissions into charity cards.

What was a bright idea became a reality when he got in touch with Booths COO Nigel Murray, through his wife Sue.

A deal was struck and to date, £150,000 has been raised with 100 per cent of the profits going to charity.

Mr Sutcliffe said: “The great thing about the cards is I can select some smaller and lesser-known charities to support locally. There is a flexibility to fundraising this way that is un-corporate and allows me to make meaningful connections to charities and people I have a genuine connection and affinity with.”

Mr Sutcliffe has teamed up with Booths to support Cure Leukaemia as Booths COO Nigel Murray prepares to ride the Tour O’Booths in May with colleague and supplier to Booths in advance of his “bucket list” cycle which will see Nigel complete the full course of the Tour de France this summer.

Mr Sutcliffe added: “Painting has been a comfort and salvation over lockdown and I’m lucky to have such rich landscapes and subjects on my Lakeland doorstep. Painting, doing good with something that does me good is an excellent way to life.”