Press release -
Life After Stroke grows in Rochdale with new charity allotment
Stroke survivors and their carers in Rochdale can now enjoy gardening and grow their own fruit and vegetables, after a new accessible allotment has officially opened in Rochdale.
The Stroke Association hosted the grand opening of the allotment opposite Mayfield Rugby Club on Chadwick Lane with an afternoon tea party on Thursday 14 August.
After three months of careful preparation, the allotment will be attended twice a week during the summer months by service users and carers from the Stroke Association’s Life after Stroke Service in Rochdale.
Brian Bennett from Rochdale, cares for his partner Emily who had a stroke ten years ago. He visits the allotment twice as week as a form of relaxation, and also helps support the stroke survivors who attend the sessions.
He said: “People who attend the allotment can do as much or as little as possible. It’s helped lift my mood tremendously and is a great way to relax. The vegetables we’ve been growing have been coming on really well, so were even able to include some of the tomatoes and radishes in our sandwiches at the afternoon tea!”
Joanne Mundey, Communication Support Coordinator at the Stroke Association added: “The sessions at the allotment help stroke survivors gain satisfaction by growing fruit and vegetables. It also helps them to interact with others to improve confidence and reduce social isolation. An everyday activity such as gardening can help with motivation and reduce anxiety, as well as providing exercise, so it’s great to see so many of our service users getting involved with the allotment.”
The Stroke Association provides a Life After Stroke Service in Rochdale, funded by Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group. For more information about stroke, ring the Helpline on 0303 30 33 100 or visit www.stroke.org.uk.
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A stroke is a brain attack which happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off, caused by a clot or bleeding in the brain. There are around 152,000 strokes in the UK every year and it is the leading cause of severe adult disability. There are over 1.2 million people in the UK living with the effects of stroke.
Stroke Association is a charity. We believe in life after stroke and we’re leading a community of people to change the world for people affected by stroke. We work directly with stroke survivors and their families and carers, with health and social care professionals and with scientists and researchers. We campaign to improve stroke care and support people to make the best recovery they can. We fund research to develop new treatments and ways of preventing stroke. The Stroke Helpline (0303 303 3100) provides information and support on stroke. More information can be found at ww.stroke.org.uk
