Celebrating one year of stroke support in Guernsey as ‘Make May Purple’ campaign begins

The Stroke Association is marking one year of activity in Guernsey, celebrating significant progress in building much-needed community support for stroke survivors and their families.

Since April 2025, the charity’s first on-island engagement officer, Alysa Rixon, has been working to address a longstanding gap in stroke-specific support. In its first year, the service has directly supported 38 stroke survivors and carers, while laying the foundations for a more connected and sustainable stroke community across the island.

Key achievements include the creation of three peer support opportunities: a monthly Stroke Café at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, a weekly Communication Club for people living with aphasia at the Ron Short Centre, and stroke-inclusive community café sessions.

Alongside this, strong partnerships have been developed with local charities, healthcare professionals and community organisations, helping to raise awareness of stroke and improve access to support.

This work has been made possible through funding from the Lloyds Bank Foundation, match funded from Stroke Association funds, with a second year of funding to further expand support and reach more islanders affected by stroke.

To mark both the anniversary and ‘Make May Purple’ Stroke Awareness Month, the Communication Club is inviting the community to a special “Sing for Stroke” event. The event will take place on Thursday 7 May, 2.30pm–3.30pm at the Ron Short Centre and is open to everyone. Entry is free, with voluntary donations welcomed in support of UnLtd, the charity that hosts and supports the Communication Club.

The Stroke Association is also encouraging stroke survivors, carers and family members across the Bailiwick to share their experiences by completing a short survey, available via its Facebook page and Guernsey website page www.stroke.org.uk/guernsey.

The survey aims to better understand local needs, improve support services, reach those who may not yet be aware of available help, and inform future funding priorities. It takes around 15 minutes to complete, and the deadline for responses has been extended to 1 June.

Alysa said: “Over the past year, we’ve seen just how important it is for stroke survivors and their families to feel connected and supported. There was very little stroke-specific support available locally before, so it’s been incredibly rewarding to start building a community where people can share experiences, regain confidence and feel less alone.

“With another year of funding secured, we’re excited to continue growing this support and reaching more people across Guernsey. We’d really encourage anyone affected by stroke to complete our survey so we can make sure future support reflects what people truly need.”

Around 80 people survive a stroke in Guernsey each year, many of whom face significant ongoing challenges after leaving hospital. Through its work on the island, the Stroke Association aims to ensure that no one has to navigate recovery alone.