Local politicians turn out to support Stroke Association volunteers

This month is Stroke Awareness Month and members of the Stroke Association’s Clackmannanshire Stroke Support Group are in various locations around the Wee County to raise awareness of the condition and the support available to stroke survivors in Scotland.

They were in Alloa Library last week where they welcomed Brian Leishman MP, who heard about the scale of stroke in his own constituency and across Scotland. Almost 600 people had a stroke in the NHS Forth Valley area in 2023 and almost 7,000 are living with the impact of the condition in the region.

Brian Leishman, Labour MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, said: "It was great to meet the staff and volunteers of the Stroke Association in Alloa last week and hear all about what they do for people recovering from stroke.

“With stroke being one of the biggest killers in Scotland, and the leading cause of complex adult disability, I know it affects many people across the area.

“Having heard the huge impact stroke can have on people’s lives, I will be raising the issues of treatment and care in the UK Parliament.

“The volunteers in Alloa shared plenty of information about the free resources and services that can be accessed by those affected and I would encourage stroke survivors and their families to visit stroke.org.uk to see if they might benefit from the support on offer.”

This week, the stroke group volunteers are at the Give a Dog a Bone charity premises on Mar Street in Alloa, 11am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday, and Alexander Stewart MSP dropped in on Monday to reaffirm his long-standing support for stroke and local Stroke Association volunteers.

Local Scottish Conservative MSP, Alexander Stewart, said: “It was a real pleasure to have visited by their extremely kind invitation, the Clackmannanshire Stroke Support Group in Alloa and to have met Kelly, Nancy and all the team there today, during Stroke Awareness Month.

“I have long endorsed in Parliament, the wonderful work of the Stroke Association as well as their Clackmannanshire Support Group and as such, I was only too pleased to go along today to confirm my ongoing support for their fantastic endeavours across the Wee County.

“Every day, 240 people across the UK will wake up to the impact of a stroke.

“It is with this in mind, that the Stroke Association’s Scotland team are extremely dedicated and passionate about doing all they can to influence and inform our health and social care system, as well as providing vital support to stroke survivors, their families and carers.”

From 26 to 30 May Stroke Association volunteers can also be found at Clackmannanshire Community Health Centre in Sauchie, manning a stall with lots of information on how to spot the signs of a stroke, as well as where to turn if one happens.

On the last day of Stroke Awareness Month (31 May) the focus will turn to a Clackmannanshire Council run community event at Cochrane Hall in Alva. Clackmannanshire Stroke Support Group volunteers will join many other charity organisations from 12noon until 4pm that day.