Wakefield woman hosts Big Get Together for the Stroke Association in memory of mum

Seani Armitage, 23 from Stanley, is calling on local people to take part in The Big Get Together #ForFiona, a creative fundraising event she has organised in memory of her mother.

Fiona Thompson, Seani’s mother, experienced a brain stem stroke at the age of 50 which caused irreversible damage, and sadly passed away in May 2015. Seani has now teamed up with her friends, Rosemary and Harriet Booth, to raise vital funds for the Stroke Association in her mother’s memory.

Together, Seani, Rosemary and Harriet will host The Big Get Together #ForFiona at the Unity Café in Wakefield, on Saturday 08 August from 11am-11pm.

The event will include live music from local musicians, along with a pop-up swap shop where visitors can swap clothing in return for a small donation to the charity. The café will also be transformed into a colourful art gallery for the day, with multimedia artwork on display from local illustrators, artists and designers.

Wakefield performance poet, Matt Abbott, will entertain guests throughout the evening, and there will also be a raffle with an array of prizes donated from local retailers.

Seani said: “We decided to organise the event in aid of the Stroke Association to raise funds to support other people affected by stroke, as well as increasing awareness of this devastating condition. We wanted to create something positive from our loss. She was the perfect, caring, loving mum; a constant joker and joy to be around. I can't wait to host this day in her memory. My mum’s dad also had several strokes, so we’ve seen first-hand just how challenging life after stroke can be.

“We’ve had lots of support from individuals and companies who have given us their time to create something really special. We’re encouraging as many people as possible to come along and get involved, as the Stroke Association is a charity very close to our hearts. Hopefully it will be a day to remember.”

Jo Beverley, Regional Fundraiser at 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 Seani who can raise funds for people affected by stroke. We’re really grateful to her for choosing to support the Stroke Association and hope to see lots of people from the local area come along and celebrate Fiona’s memory.”

For more information about The Big Get Together #ForFiona, visit forfiona.wix.com/forfiona. You can sponsor Seani’s fundraising at www.justgiving.com/Seani-Armitage

In Yorkshire and Humberside, there are more than 10,600 strokes per year and over 112,300 people living with the effects of stroke. For more information about stroke, visit stroke.org.uk or call the Helpline on 0303 3033 100.