The Stroke Association and Royal Mail

The Stroke Association's new two year Charity of the Year partnership with Royal Mail began on Monday 8 September 2014 and they were absolutely delighted that almost 40,000 Royal Mail employees voted for The Stroke Association to be their new Charity of the Year in their 2014 employee survey.

Both Royal Mail and the Stroke Association play an important role at the heart of UK communities and together we can make a huge difference to so many people’s lives.

Supporting life after stroke

Royal Mail aims to raise £2 million which would support 10,000 stroke survivors and their families by funding vital Life After Stroke Grants. For every penny raised by Royal Mail employees, up to £1 million, Royal Mail will match it.

Life After Stroke Grants support stroke survivors and their families to overcome some of the most difficult challenges in their lives. They provide long term benefit to aid recovery. But their real impact is the way in which they provide practical support, sustain stroke survivors emotionally, build confidence, and provide a route back into their community.

There are two types of grants available to stroke survivors:

 Recovery grants

 These fund a range of vital home and equipment modifications such as handrails, specialist kitchen appliances or adapted wheelchairs.

Activity grants

These support stroke survivors to make their way back into their local communities by funding a range of activities linked to their recovery plan.

Working together

Royal Mail employees will be getting stuck into a whole host of activities over the next two years, from fundraising to learning about our FAST campaign and Know Your Blood Pressure. 

In addition to fundraising, Royal Mail staff will have access to a range of volunteering opportunities with the Stroke Association, from helping out at fundraising events to joining our community Life After Stroke groups to provide direct support to people affected by stroke.
 

WORLD STROKE DAY - 29TH OCTOBER 2014

Today is World Stroke Day and the emphasis this year is about women and stroke.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in women in the U.K. and kills three times as many women as breast cancer.  Yet many women are still not aware of the risks.

Do YOU know what your Blood Pressure is, what the FAST test is or do you have regular blood tests?
If not - why not - get checked out soon and go to your G.P. for regular checks.

One in eight women in the UK wrongly believes that a stroke could never happen to them, according to the findings of a poll published today by The Stroke Association.

Around 30,000 women die from a stroke every year and the condition is the second biggest killer worldwide.

Strokes can hit you out of nowhere and rob you of your speech, your ability to walk, your memory, your independence and your dignity.

Regional Head of Operations in Yorkshire and the Humber at the Stroke Association, said: “It’s extremely worrying that most women don’t even have stroke on their radar. We know that women’s stroke risk significantly increases as they get older, and one in five women will have a stroke in their lifetime.

“This should serve as a wake-up call to women of all ages to be aware and better informed of the steps they can take to reduce their stroke risk. Simple lifestyle changes, such as keeping blood pressure under control, exercising regularly and stopping smoking, could significantly lower women’s likelihood of having a stroke"

Remember those vital regular checks and avoid potential months/years of recovery.