Tower turns purple for stroke awareness
The Spinnaker Tower was lit up in purple yesterday evening to mark the end of Stroke Awareness Month.
The display was organised by The Stroke Squad, a local support group for stroke survivors who watched from the nearby Still and West pub in Old Portsmouth. The display was part of a campaign to save Portsmouth’s Stroke Recovery Service, which is at risk of having its funding withdrawn.
The Stroke Squad, which focuseson empowering its members, arrange s monthly coffee mornings at The Groundlings Theatre in Portsea and will be present at The Big Charity Bash later this year.
It has also played an active role in campaigning for the Stroke Recovery Service, and has met with Stephen Morgan MP to tackle the issue.
Organiser and Stroke Squad founder Ross Needham, who suffered a stroke last year aged 45, said: ‘Once you’ve had the stroke, you go into a bit of a care system and then once you’re signed out, you’ re left to fend for yourself. The Stroke Squad has really become a support group for each other.
‘All of us have been affected bystrokes–we’vehadastokeor we also get people who are carers for stroke survivors.’
Ross said that he got away ‘quite lightly’ in terms of his stroke’s physical impact, but explained he and other stroke survivors he has spoken to have experienced severe mental health challenges.
He added: ‘The mental effect is something that just knocked me side ways. Rational thinking just went for me.
‘It’s really important to get the word out that there is support for people and to come along, not to be afraid of putting yourself out there.’