​Big hearted Bluebird Care raises money for stroke survivors

The Director of St Helens homecare agency, Bluebird Care has raised more than £550 for the Stroke Association after his sister survived a stroke.

Allen Edwards was joined by his wife Jan to complete the charity’s Step out for Stroke fundraising walk at Victoria Park in St Helens in June. He has since collected the impressive total in donations from care staff, friends and family, and presented the cheque to Marie Powner, Family and Carer Support Coordinator from the Stroke Association on Friday 10 July.

Allen initially signed up for the walk after meeting the Stroke Association team based at St Helens Hospital, when he found out more about the support the charity provides to stroke survivors. However, his eldest sister Jenny had a stroke just before he was due to take part in the walk, which resulted in her losing her speech and movement in her right hand side.

Allen said: “Thankfully Jenny has done really well. With the support of the Stroke Association and the fantastic doctors in London where she is based, she has made a very good recovery and is coming home very soon.

“At Bluebird Care in St Helens our staff also provide a lot of support to stroke survivors once they are discharged from hospital, so it’s a cause close to our hearts in several ways. We chose to raise money for the Stroke Association to help them be there every step of the way for those whose lives have been touched by stroke. I’m really thankful to all my staff, friends, family and local businesses we work closely with for all their kind sponsorship and support.”

Marie Powner from the Stroke Association, said: “With around 152,000 strokes a year in the UK – that’s around one every three and a half minutes - it is vital that we have people like Allen and Jan who can raise funds for people affected by stroke. The money raised will go a long way in helping to prevent strokes and reduce their effect through campaigning, education and research and we’re very grateful to them both for their wonderful support.”

Step out for Stroke celebrates the achievements of stroke survivors as they walk alongside their friends and family, all while helping to raise vital funds for the Stroke Association. Each walk is wheelchair accessible and suitable for any level of walking ability. Participants can walk at their own pace, in their own time. Ultimately, Step out for Stroke celebrates the brave steps in a stroke survivor’s recovery.

The Stroke Association provides an Information, Advice and Support Service and Communication Support Service in Knowsley and St Helens, in partnership with St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group and Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group. For more information about stroke, ring the Helpline on 0303 30 33 100 or visit www.stroke.org.uk.