Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower to turn purple as Stroke Awareness Month comes to an end

The display has been organised by The Stroke Squad, a local support group for stroke survivors who will enjoy it from the nearby Still and West pub in Old Portsmouth. The move also comes as part of a campaign to save Portsmouth’s Stroke Recovery Service which is at risk of having its funding withdrawn.

NOW READ: Stroke Recovery Service in Portsmouth given six months to secure future as funding dries up

The Stroke Squad, which focuses on ‘empowering, its members, arranges 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 have 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 by strokes – we’ve had a stoke or 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.

NOW READ: This is how to spot the early warning signs of a stroke

He added: ‘The mental effect is something that just knocked me sideways and was awful. It’s a real attack of the brain and 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.

‘Strokes won’t stop happening just because the council decides to stop funding. What then happens to people? For people to not have the abilities to reach out and find these people would be just devastating. It’s so important to have a support network.‘

Representatives from the Stroke Association and Different Strokes will be at the Still and West to meet with the survivors this evening and view the tower, which will be illuminated at 7pm.