Press release -
Stroke Association and Arriva encourage Merseyside to Take a Moment
Arriva Merseyside and the Stroke Association have teamed up to get people across the county to Take a Moment and have their blood pressure checked.
High blood pressure is the biggest controllable risk factor for stroke. The Stroke Association’s new Take a Moment campaign will be displayed on 500 Arriva buses encouraging people to order their free blood pressure information packs. The pack includes information about the link between high blood pressure and stroke, tips about how to maintain a healthy blood pressure, and how and where to get your blood pressure checked.
Liverpool stroke survivor, Linda Cheveau, helped launch the campaign with the Arriva team and is encouraging people to support the charity. Linda had two strokes in her early 30’s and features on the new posters. She has been volunteering with the Stroke Association for more than five years supporting other survivors.
Kate Charles, Assistant Regional Manager at the Stroke Association, said: “High blood pressure can affect anyone of any age and has no symptoms. We’re thrilled that Arriva Merseyside is supporting our Take a Moment campaign and hope more passengers do take a moment to get their blood pressure checked. We have got to stop this silent killer. Download your pack today.”
In addition to raising awareness on the buses, the Stroke Association has been working with Arriva to take blood pressure readings of around 350 employees. The campaign has helped raise awareness of stroke risk among the 2,000 strong workforce at seven depots across Merseyside, including the company’s head office in Aintree.
Howard Farrall, Managing Director at Arriva Merseyside, said: “This initiative has already made a real difference to the lives of some Arriva employees. The Take a Moment campaign on the buses will also help make more people aware of the link between blood pressure and stroke, and go a long way in helping to prevent strokes in the county.”
High blood pressure affects 9.2 million people in the UK and a further estimated 6.8 million could be living without a diagnosis. Uncontrolled blood pressure can, over time, lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney damage and eye problems.
The free information pack is available to download from www.stroke.org.uk/moments. The pack provides information about the link between high blood pressure and stroke, details about where to get a blood pressure check and tips on how to maintain good blood pressure control.
The Stroke Association and Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland will also be hosting their annual free Know Your Blood Pressure events across the county from March. 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 together we can conquer 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 www.stroke.org.uk
