Life After Stroke, Together.
Since 1990 we’ve provided a space for hundreds of stroke survivors to meet others in a social setting, reclaim their lives, use the abilities they have and sometimes even reclaim those they may have lost.
We have members in their 40s through to members in the 90s, we welcome partners, friends & carers and we’d love to welcome you, too.
About the Club
The club meets once a fortnight on a Friday morning, at any time with a membership ranging from 40 through to 70. Some members have little sign of stroke - others are in wheelchairs or contend with other various constraints, physical and / or mental. What binds them together is their shared experience & desire to make the most of their lives. We pay to use the Cox Green Community Centre for our meetings. They have good facilities for our needs.
Whilst some members enjoy to simply sit, chat and enjoy coffee with each other, we also arrange optional activities such as cards & quizzes. Our volunteers are continuously finding ways to raise money and grants, and when funds allow we aim to offer stimulating activities for the mind and body such as chair based exercises, yoga, stories, musical instrument therapy, singing, welfare-approved interactions with birds animals, table top gardening, the sharing of photos and memories, as well as occasional trips, meals out and meals in! We have also been able to secure specific grants for member-specific grants & therapies over the years. In recent years where funds have allowed, we have been able to arrange Summer Parties, Garden Centre visits and various other events for our members, greatly enhancing their quality of life.
We also welcome groups to come and speak to our members – the police, fire brigade, stroke association and various local NHS groups have visited to talk with our members as have friends from local banks & security experts who help our members stay safe online as well as at home. Some members come alone, others come with a partner, friend or carer – the choice is yours!
Club History
The Maidenhead & District Stroke Club was conceived by Pauline Noden, a social worker at St Marks Hospital. Supported by volunteers Francine Symons, Sylvia Rook, Olive Stephenson and Diane Elder the club began in March 1990.
The club is part of the national Stroke Association’s ‘Stroke Group Network’ - connecting survivors and families for peer support, operating under their charity number, and is the only national charity for Stroke, and of which HM The King is patron.
In 2018, Francine Symons was nominated for Volunteer Of The Year for 30 Years’ Service to the community through the Stroke Club. Her son, Neil Symons, has been Chairman for 20 years now having been bought along (some would say dragged!) since school days.
Later in 2018, Chairman Neil Symons, Treasurer Ros Milne (Smith), Secretary Pam Hayes & supported by Terry Dunne, Lorraine Basey, Tony Galvan & Jenny Daley - were awarded the MBE for Voluntary Organisations by way of The Kings Award for Voluntary Service.
The Club tries to have a strong local presence – actively engaging in community events, and we are very lucky to have received consistent, continued support from our local MP, Joshua Reynolds, and Mayor Mandy Kaur Brar.
About Stroke
Around 100,000 people in the UK have a stroke every year. That’s approximately one person every five minutes. This is a scary statistic, but the county of Berkshire is among the best equipped to respond to strokes because of the amazing aftercare from the NHS and subsequent support from groups like ours.
Stroke is a debilitating condition that can attack almost without warning and can have devastating consequences for the quality of life enjoyed. Our aim is to help our members re-establish themselves in a social situation, and make a positive, constructive difference to their lives.
A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, killing brain cells. Damage to the brain can affect how the body works. It can also change how you think and feel. The effects of a stroke depend on where it takes place in the brain, and how big the damaged area is.
Stroke can be life-changing. It can happen to anyone of any age and affects everyone in different ways.
A stroke is a medical emergency. If you spot the signs of stroke, call 999.
The national Stroke Association website gives a lot more, to-the-minute information about Stroke and can be found here:
Joining Our Club
Our aim is for the Stroke Club to be open to anyone who has survived a stroke.
GET IN TOUCH
If you’re interested in joining, there are a number of ways to get in touch:
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Fill in the Contact Form
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Text or leave a voice message on 07872 144350
Make A Donation
Leaving a Legacy
You might want to consider leaving a legacy in your will or having people make small donations in honour of one of our members. It is recommended a solicitor helps you do this. You will need our charity name (Maidenhead & District Stroke Club) and address (c/o Neil Symons (Chairman, 6 Horseguards Drive, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 1XL).
If you do make a donation, please please do Contact Us to let us know so your generosity can be acknowledged and shared with our friends & members!
The running of club meetings and key activities absorb a significant amount of time from our volunteers. We are grateful for all donations, including those from grants from local organisations, members, their families and friends which help augment our own fund-raising activities to meet the running costs of the club and enable us to achieve our objectives.
Donate Online
Donations can be make directly to our charity bank account which is provided through NatWest, or by using this JustGiving link.
Maidenhead & District Stroke Club
Account : 64323366
Sort Code : 60-13-35
Fundraising Challenge
If you are up for a challenge or organising an event we would be delighted if you fundraised for us. Our JustGiving site will help you do this.
Volunteer
Our members benefit from consistent faces of people they can build relationships with.
If you think that spending 2 hours per fortnight with a group of strong stroke survivors & fun volunteers could be for you, please get in touch via one of the methods on the Contact Us page.
If you don’t have time during the week, but would still like to help, we have a desperate need for help with community outreach – something that can be done from home. Things like keeping a heartbeat of communication going with local groups, making sure our leaflets & posters are displayed on as many noticeboards in as many buildings as possible – that kind of thing. We’re also open to other creative ideas to let people know we’re here – so please do get in touch if you’d like to help.
Reach Out!
