Jack's putting his heart and sole into slipper venture (From Bridgwater Mercury)

Jack's putting his heart and sole into slipper venture

9:21am Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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A SEDGEMOOR schoolboy born with a life-threatening condition is putting his heart and sole into a fundraising venture - selling slippers.

Jack Negus, 16, underwent the first of three open-heart operations at just three weeks old after he was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, or half a heart.

But the brave teenager has battled back and is now running his own not-for-profit business to raise money for Little Hearts Matter - the charity which cared for him.

Jack, who lives in Ashcott, told the Mercury: “My heart was the size of a walnut when I was born and the surgeon reconstructed it, but don't ask me how!

“I am as well as can be and the future will hold more operations but for now I am concentrating on my business.”

With help from his dad John, who used to work for shoe firm Clark's, Jack sells slippers of all shapes and sizes at craft fairs, and visits customers at their home, care home, or sheltered accommodation through his business, Hearts and Soles.

The self-confessed “computer freak”, who admits he isn't a slipper person, also runs his own website and is youth editor of village magazine, the Polden Post.

He added: “The charity has supported me and my family all my life and I wanted to give something back so I thought this would be the perfect way, especially with my dad's knowledge of the trade, and I love it.”

To find out more about Jack's business click on the related link.